E  DAY 

■i.  ■:■ 


SPERITY  s 


'L  DEVINN 


DUKE  UNIVERSITY 


LIBRARY 


The  Glenn  Negley  Collection 
of  Utopian  Literature 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 
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littp://www.arcliive.org/details/dayofprosperityvOOdevi 


The  Day  of  Prosperity 


A  Vision  of  the  Century  to   Come 


BY 


PAUL    DEVINNE 


G.    W.     DILLINGHAM     COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


Copyright,  1902,  by 
G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  COMPANY 

[v4//  rights  reserved'\ 


The  Day  of  Prosperity.  Published  July,  igo2. 


Press  of  J.  J.  Little  &Ca 
Astor  Place,  New  York 


How  happy  could  we  be  were  we  only 
willing  to  live  more  in  accordance  with  the 
laws  of  God  ,and  of  Nature  !  But,  alas,  we 
imagine  ourselves  too  wise  for  that,  so  we 
make  our  own  laws  and  then  suffer  tmder  them. 


CONTENTS 

PRELUDE 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I. — The  Old  Doctor's  Secret 7 

II. — The  Egg  Wiser  than  the  Hen           ....  14 

III. — The  Sleeping  Cleopatra 23 

IV. — A  Glass  of  Wine 32 

IN   THE   YEAR    2000 

I. — A  Strange  Awakening 38 

II. — A  New  World 54 

III. — In  the  Street <        .  65 

IV. — At  Breakfast ,80 

V. — The  Realm  of  Woman          ......  96 

VI. — A  Dwelling  in  the  Year  2000 114 

VII. — A  Large  Family 125 

VIII.— A  Rose 141 

IX. — Looking  Backward 156 

X. — Education  in  the  Year  2000 171 

XL— xVn  Hour's  Chat 182 

XII. — In  the  Airship 194 

XIII. — A  Scheme  of  Government 215 

XIV. — The  Law  and  the  Gospel 240 

XV.— The  Green  Phial 256 


THE  DAY  OF  PROSPERITY 

PRELUDE 
I 

THE   OLD   doctor's   SECRET 

It  was  in  the  year  1900. 

The  light  of  a  glorious  June  day  had  not  yet  quite 
faded,  as  I  paused  in  my  walk  down  Second  Avenue, 
pushed  aside  the  dusty  branches  of  the  potted  fir  trees 
enclosing  the  "  summer  garden  "  of  the  little  East 
Side  cafe,  stepped  within,  and  took  my  accustomed 
seat  at  the  nearest  of  the  half-dozen  unpolished  and 
stained  oaken  tables. 

I  was  early.  The  groups  of  habitues  had  not  yet 
formed;  and  Max,  big,  white-aproned,  smooth- 
shaven,  and  genial,  was  moving  from  corner  to  cor- 
ner of  the  decent  little  place,  turning  on  the  lights 
that  nightly  shone  over  its  heterogeneous  throng  of 
patrons. 

I  laid  my  pile  of  books  on  the  table.  They  were 
heavy,  and  I  had  carried  them  all  the  way  from  Cen- 
tral Park,  where,  since  noon,  I  had  sat  in  the  rays  of 


8  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

the  summer  sun,  reading,  watching  the  changing 
panorama  of  carriages  and  idlers,  and  dreaming  the 
dreams  that  my  reading  suggested.  Now  my  long 
walk  had  heated  and  tired  me,  and  I  tossed  off  my 
stein  of  beer  with  relish,  lighted  a  cigarette,  and,  with 
a  sense  of  ease  and  relaxation,  gazed  at  the  line  of 
smoke  that  rose  from  the  fiery  cigarette-end  in  a  blu- 
ish spiral. 

Outside,  in  the  street,  the  whirling,  clanging  street- 
cars swept  along;  on  the  sidewalk,  within  a  few  feet 
of  me,  passed  the  crowd  of  workers  just  dismissed 
from  shop  or  factory.  Flirtatious  girls  glanced 
through  the  branches  of  our  green  enclosure,  and 
my  ears  caught  the  passers'  hurried  exclamations, 
their  broken  bits  of  talk.  One  by  one  appeared  in 
the  doorway  the  figures  of  our  restaurant's  habitu^s^ 
who  looked  about  them,  saluted  their  acquaintances, 
and  seated  themselves  in  groups  that  soon  had  filled 
almost  all  the  available  space  with  an  animated  mass 
of  humanity  of  all  nationalities,  of  all  vocations,  a 
characteristically  cosmopolitan  assortment  of  so- 
journers in  the  great  city  of  New  York. 

In  the  midst  of  my  desultory  reflections  on  the 
character  of  the  throng  about  me,  I  was  disturbed 
by  the  approach  of  shuffling  footsteps,  by  the  move- 
ment of  a  chair,  and  by  the  appearance  of  some 
one  who  hesitatingly  seated  himself  at  my  table.  I 
looked  up. 

It  was  the  old  Doctor. 


THE    OLD    DOCTOR'S   SECRET  9 

A  shabby,  gray-haired,  wrinkled,  mysterious  little 
old  man,  whom  everybody  knew,  and  yet  of  whom 
no  one  knew  anything  definite. 

Max  called  him  "  Doctor  " ;  but  Max's  titles  were 
usually  bestowed  in  acknowledgment  of  the  receipt  of 
tips,  and  he  therefore  was  not  to  be  much  trusted. 
Yet  we  had  accepted  the  designation  somewhat  as  a 
matter  of  course,  and,  indeed,  felt  not  the  slightest 
desire  to  dispute  the  claim  of  our  poor,  trembling, 
unassertive  fellow-patron. 

For  he  also  was  a  regular  patron  of  the  cafe — the 
old  Doctor.  Every  evening  at  the  same  hour  he 
appeared  at  the  door,  glided  noiselessly  toward  such 
table — usually  a  vacant  one — as  he  selected,  ordered 
his  cup  of  black  coffee,  drew  from  his  pocket  a  thick, 
soiled,  worn  memorandum  book,  and,  laying  it  on 
the  table  and  bending  over  it  until  his  nose  almost 
touched  its  leaves,  wrote,  erased,  calculated,  and 
pondered  for  two  hours  in  silence,  impervious  to  the 
noise  and  bustle  around  him.  At  ten  o'clock  pre- 
cisely he  arose,  put  his  book  into  his  pocket,  but- 
toned tightly  about  him  his  threadbare  coat,  pulled 
his  black  slouched  hat  low  down  over  his  furrowed 
forehead,  paid  his  score,  and  glided  away  as  noise- 
lessly and  unobtrusively  as  he  had  entered.  Whence 
he  came,  or  whither  he  went,  no  one  hitherto  had 
known  or  cared  to  know. 

It  was  he  who,  with  an  apologetic  bow,  moved  aside 


10  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

one  of  the  few  still  vacant  chairs,  and  seated  himself 
opposite  me. 

The  waiter  approached,  nodded  respectfully,  and 
with  his  checked  napkin  wiped  clean  the  surface  of 
the  oaken  table. 

"  Good-evening,  Doctor." 

"  Good-evening,  Max.     A  cup  of  black  coffee." 

And,  drawing  from  his  pocket  his  worn  memoran- 
dum book  and  a  bit  of  pencil,  in  a  moment  he  was  ab- 
sorbed in  his  calculations,  apparently  oblivious  of  my 
proximity. 

I  pulled  toward  me  my  package  of  books,  which 
had  almost  monopolized  the  extent  of  the  table,  and, 
untying  the  bundle,  took  from  it  the  book  that  lay  on 
top,  and  opened  it.  The  old  man  looked  up,  his  at- 
tention attracted  by  the  rustling  of  the  leaves.  His 
glance  fell  on  the  volume,  but  his  failing  eyesight 
could  not  quite  make  out  the  title  at  that  distance, 
and  for  a  minute  he  blinked  confusedly  in  his  effort 
to  read. 

"  May  I  inquire  the  title  of  your  book?  "  he  said 
at  length,  politely. 

"  '  Looking  Backward,'  by  Edward  Bellamy." 

"  I  thought  so."  Then,  in  a  moment,  "  Does  it  in- 
terest you?  " 

"  Yes,  extremely.  I  read  it  through  this  afternoon, 
for  the  first  time,  in  the  Park.  The  subject  is  not 
new  to  me ;  in  fact,  I  have  always  felt  a  deep  interest 
in  it,  as  all  men  must,  and  Bellamy's  work  has  re- 


THE    OLD    DOCTOR'S    SECRET  11 

awakened  my  interest  and  given  me  many  new  ideas. 
You  have  read  it,  of  course?  " 

"  Yes,  But  I  have  no  time  to  waste  on  schemes 
of  political  economy.  No  doubt  mankind  grows  bet- 
ter and  wiser  from  century  to  century,  and  no  doubt 
it  will  ultimately  evolve  a  better  and  a  wiser  system 
— that  must  be  clear  to  every  one  that  looks  about 
him  with  open  eyes  and  receptive  mind.  But  " — 
and  he  looked  narrowly  at  me,  while  a  smile  played 
around  his  lips  as  he  fingered  his  notebook — "  that  is 
not  the  point  of  Bellamy's  work  that  interests  me. 
If  it  were  a  matter  of  scientific  interest,  however, 
like  Julian  West's  long  sleep  of  a  hundred  and  thir- 
teen years " 

I  interrupted  him.  "  A  sleep  of  a  hundred  and 
thirteen  years !  The  greatest  impossibility  of  the 
whole  story !  " 

His  eyes  blinked  cunningly  from  out  the  network 
of  wrinkles  that  surrounded  them,  and  a  quiet  irony 
seemed  to  pervade  his  tone.  "Do  you  think  so?" 
he  asked. 

"  Well,  Doctor,  you  will  hardly  maintain  that  a 
man  can  remain  asleep  for  one  year  even,  much  less 
a  hundred,  and  then  wake  well  and  strong  and  pre- 
pared to  continue  his  normal  life  and  work." 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment,  still  gazing  at  me  with 
his  curious  smile,  and  apparently  debating  his  reply. 
At  length  he  spoke. 

"  You  may  think  me  mad ;  it  would  be  only  natural 


12  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

— but  I  cannot  help  it.  Why  should  I  not  proclaim 
what  I  know  to  be  a  fact  ?  Yes,  I  do  maintain  it,  and 
I  assert  that  a  man  may  not  only  sleep  for  one  year ; 
he  may  sleep  a  hundred,  five  hundred  years,  and 
waken  in  full  possession  of  his  faculties  and  ready  to 
resume  his  natural  course  of  life,  if  only — if  only " 

The  old  Doctor's  outstretched  hand  trembled,  and 
he  had  half  risen  from  the  table.  He  still  gazed  at 
me,  but  as  though  he  saw  me  not,  and  his  lips  quiv- 
ered with  a  strange  excitement,  I  was  alarmed,  and 
started  up,  fearing  that  our  brief  conversation  had 
been  too  much  for  his  ill-balanced  mind. 

He  noted  my  alarm,  and  at  once  his  features  re- 
laxed, and  he  sank  back  in  his  chair,  raised  to  his 
lips  his  cup  of  coffee,  and  sipped  it  slowly.  Then 
with  the  quiet  smile  which  he  had  worn  at  first  he 
looked  at  me  again. 

"  I  said  you  would  think  me  mad.  But  no !  there 
is  no  madness  in  what  I  say,  only  truth — a  new,  vast, 
scientific  truth.  A  man  may  sleep  a  hundred  years, 
I  said,  if  only  the  proper  means  are  taken  to  induce 
that  sleep.  With  those  means  adopted  he  may  be 
made  to  sleep  for  centuries,  and  then  to  awaken  at 
the  appointed  time  in  good  health,  and  ready  to  con- 
tinue his  life  almost  as  though  it  had  not  been  inter- 
rupted." 

"  And  a  most  interesting  experience  that  would  be. 
Doctor,"  I  said  pleasantly,  willing  to  humor  the  old 
man's   harmless   delusion.      "  How   I   should   enjoy 


THE    OLD    DOCTOR'S    SECRET  13 

'being  put  to  sleep  by  this  mysterious  means  which 
you  describe — a  sleep  which  should  last,  say,  a  hun- 
dred years ;  a  sleep  which  should  transport  me  to  the 
year  2000,  to  a  new  century,  a  new  social  order,  a 
new  world,  the  millcnium  of  which  so  many  writers, 
Bellamy  himself,  and  even  I,  have  dreamed !  " 

"You  speak  in  jest,"  said  the  old  man,  gravely; 
"  even  though  at  this  moment  you  are  face  to  face 
with  mankind's  greatest  discovery." 

"And  who  has  made  this  discovery?"  I  asked. 
"  Who  has  found  this  potent  elixir  that  shall  thus 
lengthen  man's  days  and  mingle  hfe  with  death?  " 

The  old  Doctor  raised  his  head  proudly. 

"  I  am  that  man,"  he  cried.  "  I  am  he,  and  the 
great  discovery  is  my  secret !  " 


II 

THE  EGG  WISER  THAN  THE  HEN 

He  had  spoken  with  such  earnestness  that  for  the 
moment  I  forgot  the  absurdity  of  his  words  and 
stared  at  him  in  silence,  overcome  by  the  expression 
of  supreme  triumph  which  his  gaze  expressed. 

"  Can  you  prove  your  assertion?  "  I  finally  asked. 

He  did  not  answer  at  once,  but,  quietly  pocket- 
ing his  memorandum  book,  called  the  waiter,  paid 
for  himself,  and — although  I  tried  to  prevent  it — 
for  me  too,  buttoned  his  threadbare  coat  to  his  chin 
as  usual,  and  rose. 

"  Do  you  want  proof?  Well,  then,  come  with  me. 
It  is  not  far.  We  shall  be  just  in  time.  One  of  my 
experiments  will  mature  at  ten  o'clock  to-night,  and 
you  may  witness  it.  You  shall  possess  my  secret. 
But  I  impose  one  condition.  Promise  that  you  will 
not  disclose  to  a  human  being  even  the  smallest  part 
of  what  you  shall  see  and  hear." 

I  assure*  him  I  would  be  silent  as  the  grave.  My 
curiosity  had  become  thoroughly  aroused,  and  I  was 
determined  to  see  the  adventure  through. 

Silently  we  traversed  Second  Avenue  until  we 
reached  Fourth  Street,  into  which  we  turned.     My 


THE    EGG    WISER    THAN    THE   HEN  15 

conductor  shuffled  nervously  ahead,  walking  with 
such  rapidity,  in  spite  of  his  age  and  apparent  feeble- 
ness, that  I  could  scarcely  keep  pace  with  him.  Be- 
fore an  old,  two-story,  red  brick  house  he  halted, 
drew  a  key  from  his  pocket,  and  unlocked  and  threw 
open  the  narrow  door.     Darkness  confronted  us. 

"  Wait !     I  will  strike  a  light." 

Feeling  his  way  along  the  wall,  he  entered.  I 
heard  the  scrape  of  a  match,  the  blaze  flared  up,  illu- 
minating for  an  instant  the  old  man's  straggling  gray 
hair  and  haggard  features.  Then  the  meagre  light 
of  an  oil  lamp  shone  feebly  over  a  bare  hall  and  rick- 
ety staircase. 

I  entered  and  closed  the  door,  which  swung  to 
with  a  bang.  Instantly  there  came  from  below  a 
scratching  and  a  rattling,  and  a  big  black  dog 
bounded  up  the  stairs  and  leaped  against  us,  barking 
loudly. 

"  Down,  Nero !  "  The  master's  voice  quieted  the 
animal  at  once.  "  Downstairs  again,  sir !  "  And  the 
dog  obediently  turned  and  scrambled  back  to  his 
quarters  in  the  regions  below. 

*'  Please  follow  me." 

The  old  man  mounted  the  stairs,  shabbily  carpeted 
for  half  their  width,  and  I  followed  to  the  second 
floor.  There  I  waited.  The  footsteps  of  the  Doctor 
reechoed  through  the  barren  hall,  making  more  pro- 
found the  quiet  of  this  desolate  house,  of  which  he, 
the  dog,   and  I  seemed  the  only  living  occupants. 


16  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

Presently  he  reappeared,  holding  in  his  hand  a  lighted 
lamp. 

He  pushed  open  one  of  the  three  doors  that  lay 
before  us,  entered  the  room,  and  placed  his  lamp 
upon  the  table.  I  followed  and  looked  about.  I 
found  myself  in  a  kind  of  study. 

But,  Heavens,  what  disorder ! 

Shelves,  made  of  unpainted  boards,  were  fastened 
against  the  walls,  and  upon  them,  in  every  conceivable 
attitude,  lay  hundreds  of  dust-covered  books,  from 
among  which  two  large  plaster  busts  peered  curi- 
ously out. 

A  human  skeleton,  from  the  shoulders  of  which 
hung  an  old  tattered  mackintosh  cloak,  stood  erect 
in  one  corner;  while  at  the  side  of  the  room,  upon  a 
dressing-case  before  a  tarnished,  old-fashioned  mir- 
ror, sat  a  stuffed  monkey,  apparently  regarding  him- 
self complacently  in  the  glass. 

In  front,  between  the  two  windows,  was  placed  an 
ample  table,  scratched,  battered,  and  bearing  evidence 
of  much  use,  upon  whose  top,  amidst  the  litter  of 
books  and  papers,  stood  cynically  upright  a  skull, 
with  the  Doctor's  old  red  smoking-cap  jauntily 
cocked  over  one  eye. 

Old  newspapers  and  magazines  by  the  hundreds, 
flung  aside  and  forgotten,  were  scattered  over  chairs 
and  floor.  And  everywhere,  as  though  beginning 
the  final  office  of  burying  the  dead  apartment,  rested 
a  thick  layer  of  dust,  sure  token  of  the  absence  of  a 


THE    EGG    WISER    THAN    THE    HEN  17 

feminine  hand.  Tlie  air  seemed  stifling  with  the 
mortuary  odor  of  musty  papers  and  things  disin- 
tegrating. I  coughed  and  dreaded  to  breathe  deep, 
feeHng  almost  as  though  I  had  crossed  the  threshold 
of  a  tomb. 

But  the  Doctor's  voice  roused  me.  He  had  thrown 
off  his  hat  and  street  coat  and  replaced  them  by  an 
old  house  jacket  and  the  red  smoking-cap.  "  Sit 
down,"  he  said  courteously,  and  pushed  an  armchair 
toward  me. 

I  picked  up  a  newspaper  and  brushed  off  the  stra- 
tum of  dust  with  w^hich  the  chair  was  covered.  The 
Doctor  smiled  as  I  seated  myself:  a  little  dust  did 
not  appear  to  annoy  him. 

"  Everything  is  upside  down  here,"  he  said.  "  But 
unfortunately  I  have  no  time  to  keep  things  in  order. 
I  seldom  receive  visitors,  and,  at  any  rate,  my  house- 
keeper will  set  things  to  rights  to-morrow." 

His  housekeeper !  A  curious  specimen  of  her  class 
she  must  be,  I  thought,  to  allow  the  house  to  get  into 
this  condition.  But  the  old  man  seemed  to  guess 
my  thoughts,  for,  seating  himself  in  his  big  chair  by 
the  table,  he  continued : 

"  The  disorder  is  not  my  housekeeper's  fault,  as 
you  will  soon  see.  But  pardon  me,  we  do  not  know 
each  other  yet.  I  am  Paul  Rudini,  doctor  of  medi- 
cine and  philosophy." 

"  My  name  is  Albert  Burnham,  and  I  am  a  jour- 
nalist," I  rejoined, 


18  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

"  I  am  glad  to  know  you,  Mr.  Burnham.  Now  let 
me  come  to  the  point  at  once.  You  probably  have 
grave  doubts  as  to  my  sanity.  You  place  no  reliance 
on  the  statements  I  have  made,  and  you  are  waiting 
to  see  the  proofs  I  promised.  Well,  you  shall  see 
them.     I  hope  you  will  believe  your  own  eyes." 

He  pulled  from  his  pocket  an  old  silver  watch. 

"  It  is  now  nine  o'clock,"  he  said.  "  I  must  there- 
fore be  content  to  appear  a  fool  in  your  eyes  for  at 
least  a  half  hour  longer.  And  with  your  permission 
I  will  employ  that  half  hour  in  giving  you  a  little  in- 
troduction to  something  which  you  will  see  later." 

I  nodded  assent  and  drew  my  chair  nearer. 

"  You  are  aware,"  began  the  Doctor,  "  that  we 
mortals  are  dead  as  soon  as  our  hearts  stop  beating. 
The  circulation  of  the  blood  stops,  the  soul  escapes, 
the  body  is  dead ;  and  no  power  on  earth  can  breathe 
new  life  into  a  body  from  which  the  soul  has  fled. 
The  body  is  the  visible  form,  the  machine;  the  soul 
is  the  invisible  power,  the  spirit,  which  moves  and 
quickens  the  machine." 

The  Doctor  paused,  but  I  made  no  comment,  and 
he  continued : 

"  Now  under  normal  conditions  a  man  may  live 
for  a  hundred  years,  or  even  more.  But  as  soon  as 
the  machine  is  worn  out,  it  goes  to  pieces;  and  this 
going  to  pieces,  this  collapse,  is  death,  which  comes 
the  sooner  the  more  quickly  we  wear  out  the  ma- 


THE    EGG    WISER    TUAN    THE    HEN  19 

chine — that  is,  the  faster  or  more  unwisely  we  live. 
In  other  words,  death  comes  when  the  body  has  lost 
its  power  to  hold  on  to  the  soul." 

"  Quite  true,"  I  assented,  in  response  to  his  look 
of  interrogation.  "  All  those  propositions  may  be 
freely  admitted." 

"  Well,"  he  pursued,  "  many  years  ago,  when  I  was 
a  young  man,  and  was  studying  the  subject  of  appar- 
ent death,  or  trance,  I  was  suddenly  struck  with  the 
idea:  May  it  not  be  possible  to  extend  human  life 
beyond  the  limits  which  we  regard  as  natural?  Or, 
to  put  it  in  another  way,  may  we  not  force  the  soul 
to  remain  in  the  body  longer  than  unaided  nature 
will  permit?  " 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  you  were  unsuccessful, 
Doctor,"  I  observed,  "  if  you  made  the  effort  to  an- 
swer that  question  affirmatively." 

"  I  was.  I  studied  the  subject  for  many  years, 
until  I  grew  to  be  an  old  man.  But  all  my  re- 
searches, my  severe  studies,  my  profound  reflections, 
my  experiments,  brought  me  to  one  and  the  same 
conclusion,  that  with  the  rapid  wearing  out  of  the 
physical  strength  which  our  present  manner  of  living 
necessitates,  it  is  not  possible  to  think  of  any  artifi- 
cial lengthening  of  life." 

"  It  would  be  most  unfortunate  were  conditions 
otherwise,"  I  remarked.  "  But  I  can,  of  course,  sym- 
pathize with  your  disappointment." 


20  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  You  can  hardly  realize  the  extent  of  it,"  he  re- 
plied. "  The  conclusion  wh'ch,  by  various  processes, 
I  reached  again  and  again,  showed  me  that  it  was 
madness  to  try  to  be  wiser  than  nature,  and  induced 
me  to  forego  my  experiments  for  a  time.  To  such 
an  extent  had  I  become  embittered  by  my  many  dis- 
appointments that  I  was  on  the  point  of  suicide.  Ap- 
parently I  had  wasted  my  whole  life." 

The  Doctor  took  off  his  red  smoking-cap  and 
rubbed  his  forehead  thoughtfully  at  the  recollection 
of  his  evil  days.  But  presently  a  smile  indicated  a 
change  in  the  current  of  his  thought. 

"  It  was  the  casual  reading  of  Bellamy's  book,"  he 
went  on,  "  and  of  others  of  its  type,  that  roused  me 
to  a  new  line  of  investigation.  I  now  perceived  that 
I  had  not  been  searching  in  vain,  but  that  I  had  be- 
gun at  the  wrong  end.  I  had  sought  to  lengthen  the 
usual  life  of  man,  that  life  in  which  he  wakes  and 
sleeps  in  natural  succession.  I  had  had  in  mind  some 
device  by  which  a  man  might  live  two  or  three  hun- 
dred years.  I  now  saw  my  mistake.  In  the  waking 
condition,  when  man's  physical  strength  experiences 
rapid  natural  exhaustion,  the  solution  of  my  prob- 
lem was  not  to  be  expected.  A  condition  was  neces- 
sary in  which  physical  exhaustion  should  be  at  a  mini- 
mum." 

"  And  that  condition  is?  "  I  interrupted. 

"  That  condition  is  sleep,"  returned  the  Doctor 
with  emphasis.     "  If  I  could  only  succeed  in  finding 


THE    EOG    WISER    THAN    THE    HEN  21 

a  specific  which  would  maintain  a  Hving  being  in  a 
condition  of  somnolence  for  a  long  time,  perhaps  for 
several  years,  and  thus  reduce  the  wearing  out  of  the 
physical  forces  to  zero,  then  half  of  my  problem 
would  be  solved.  I  resumed  my  researches  and  ex- 
periments with  redoubled  energy ;  and,  as  I  am  famil- 
iar with  botany,  I  succeeded  at  last  in  preparing  a 
liquid  that  enabled  me  to  induce  extended  sleep  in 
any  living  being." 

"  So  that  liquid  is  the  discovery  of  which  you 
spoke?  " 

"  Not  quite.  When  I  had  reached  that  point  I 
found  myself  confronted  by  a  barrier  which,  for  the 
moment,  seemed  insurmountable.  I  knew  how  to 
induce  sleep  for  a  long  time,  but  I  could  not  control 
its  termination.  I  had  no  means  to  awaken  at  my 
will  the  subject  of  my  experiments.  Emboldened, 
however,  by  my  half  success,  I  pursued  my  researches 
farther  and  farther." 

"  Until  you  succeeded?  "  I  asked,  with  a  touch  of 
incredulity  in  my  tone. 

"  Until  I  succeeded.  Yes,  I  may  to-day  consider 
my  life  work  accomplished.  I  have  brought  my 
specific  to  such  perfection  that  I  am  able  to  throw 
any  living  being  into  a  condition  of  sleep,  and  to  keep 
it  there  so  long  as  I  shall  have  beforehand  deter- 
mined— assuming,  of  course,  that  the  specific  has 
been  administered  under  certain  conditions  known 
only  to  myself.     As  soon  as  the  appointed  period  of 


22  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

its  efficacy  has  passed,  the  creature  regains  conscious- 
ness and  continues  its  life  exactly  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  The  process  causes  no  ill  result  whatever, 
unless  one  considers  as  such  the  lapse  of  time  during 
which  he  has  slept  without  growing  older." 


in 

THE   SLEEPING    CLEOPATRA 

Dr.  Rudini  paused,  and  for  some  moments  watched 
me  in  silence,  his  quizzical  smile  playing  about  his 
lips.  Then,  swinging  his  chair  around  and  raising 
his  hand,  he  pointed  to  the  mirror. 

"  So  much  for  the  introduction.  Now  suppose  you 
glance  at  that  monkey.  What  do  you  think  of 
him?" 

"  That  stuffed  monkey?  "  I  stammered,  puzzled  at 
the  question,  "  What  has  he  to  do  with  your  dis- 
covery? " 

"So  you  call  old  Adam  stufTed?  Perhaps  you 
would  better  examine  him  more  closely.  Feel  of 
him,  and  then  tell  me  if  he  is  stufifed." 

I  rose,  went  to  the  mirror,  and  laid  my  hand  upon 
the  monkey's  shoulder. 

To  my  astonishment  I  discovered  that  he  was  not 
stufifed,  nor  was  he  dead.  The  body  was  warm,  the 
limbs  were  not  rigid,  and  through  the  black,  wrinkled 
nostrils  came  a  faint,  regular  breathing, 

"  Adam  has  been  asleep  for  two  years,"  remarked 
the  Doctor,  solemnly.  "  He  will  wake  to-night  at  ten 
o'clock." 


24  THE    Z)AY    OF    PROSPERITY 

Cautiously  I  replaced  the  beast  in  the  position  in 
which  I  had  found  it,  fancying,  as  I  did  so,  that  its 
shrivelled  features  bore  some  resemblance  to  those  of 
my  mysterious  host  who,  crouched  in  his  big  arm- 
chair, had  followed  my  movements  with  twinkling 
eyes. 

"  I  show  you  the  monkey  merely  as  a  collateral 
matter,"  he  said.  "  You  shall  see  my  principal  ex- 
periment at  once.     Please  follow  me." 

The  old  man  rose,  and,  walking  to  the  back  of  the 
room,  drew  aside  a  curtain  which  the  bookshelves 
had  hidden  from  my  view.  Quickly  I  stepped  up 
behind  him  and  gazed  curiously  over  his  shoulder. 

A  room  in  semi-darkness  lay  before  us,  obviously 
a  bedroom.  A  bed  stood  in  the  corner,  and  upon  it 
rested  a  human  figure,  but  whether  that  of  a  man 
or  a  woman  I  could  not  at  first  decide. 

"  Be  so  good  as  to  bring  the  lamp,  Mr.  Burnham." 

I  took  the  lamp  from  the  study  table,  and,  hold- 
ing it  high  above  my  head,  entered  the  bedcham- 
ber, and  allowed  the  light  to  fall  upon  the  motionless 
form  that  lay  stretched  upon  the  bed.  It  was  the 
figure  of  a  woman,  elderly,  white-haired,  completely 
clothed  in  neat  but  worn  garments,  and  with  apron 
and  cap.  She  seemed  to  be  sleeping  quietly,  and  as 
I  saw  nothing  remarkable  in  the  circumstance,  I 
turned  inquiringly  toward  the  Doctor. 

He  returned  my  look  with  a  smile. 

"  This  is  Cleopatra,  my  housekeeper,  who  has  been 


THE  SLEEPING    CLEOPATRA  25 

sleeping  here,  as  you  see  her,  for  six  months,  and  who 
will  waken  to-night  at  ten  o'clock  " — pulling  out  his 
watch — "  that  is,  in  ten  minutes,  and  you  may  then 
receive  from  her  own  lips  the  confirmation  of  my 
statement." 

I  replaced  the  lamp  on  the  study  table,  and  clapped 
my  hand  to  my  forehead  in  bewilderment.  Which  of 
us  was  the  madman  ?  First  the  monkey,  Adam,  and 
now  the  woman,  Cleopatra — it  was  incredible ! 

"  Dr.  Rudini,"  said  I,  in  as  calm  a  tone  as  I  could 
assume,  "  you  must  think  me  extremely  credulous. 
But  I  am  no  fool,  nor  am  I  mad,  and  I  should  be  one 
or  the  other  to  trust  your  statements." 

*'  No,  Mr.  Burnham,  I  believe  you  to  be  as  sane  as 
myself,"  replied  the  old  man,  quietly.  "  I  understand 
you  perfectly.  To  all  appearances  I  am  attempting 
a  joke  at  your  expense,  and  you  are  right  in  resent- 
ing it.  You  shall  be  convinced  presently  that  Cleo- 
patra's sleep  is  not  the  usual  sleep  of  nature,  but  is 
an  artificial  sleep  of  six  months'  duration,  induced  by 
the  power  of  my  secret  specific.  I  said  that  she 
would  wake  in  ten  minutes.  There  are  barely  six 
minutes  left.     See  if  you  can  wake  her." 

I  passed  again  into  the  bedchamber,  laid  my  hand 
on  the  sleeping  woman's  shoulder,  and  shook  her 
roughly.     She  gave  no  sign  of  consciousness. 

"  You  will  need  stronger  means  than  that,"  said 
the  Doctor,  who  had  followed  me,  and  who  now 
stood  at  my  side.     "  Try  some  ammonia."     And  he 


26  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

placed  in  my  hand  a  good-sized  bottle  which  he  had 
brought  from  the  other  room.  Instinctively  I  took 
it,  and,  removing  the  cork,  lifted  the  bottle  to  my 
nose.  I  reeled  and  the  tears  poured  down  my  cheeks. 
It  was  ammonia,  the  strongest  that  chemistry  could 
produce. 

Anxious  to  detect  the  trick,  if  trick  there  was,  I 
bent  over  the  bed  and  held  the  uncorked  bottle  so 
close  under  the  sleeper's  nose  that  I  was  convinced, 
were  she  in  a  natural  sleep,  or  in  any  state  of  un- 
consciousness familiar  to  my  experience,  she  could 
not  avoid  waking  or  giving  some  sign  of  life.  But 
though  the  full  force  of  the  powerful  fumes  entered 
her  nostrils,  she  did  not  stir.  I  hastily  recorked  the 
bottle  and  looked  up,  to  meet  the  Doctor's  trium- 
phant gaze. 

"  Now  take  this  needle,  Mr.  Burnham,  and  see  if 
with  its  aid  you  can  bring  Cleopatra  back  to  life." 

I  grasped  the  long  needle  which  he  offered  me, 
raised  the  woman's  right  hand  from  where  it  lay 
limply  extended  on  the  counterpane,  and,  my  eager 
curiosity  bhnding  me  to  the  cruelty  of  my  act,  drove 
the  needle  deep  into  the  palm.  A  few  drops  of  blood 
followed  each  other  from  the  puncture,  but  the 
woman  did  not  move. 

"  Prick  as  hard  as  you  like,  Mr.  Burnham.  She 
does  not  feel  it,  nor  can  she  till  the  moment  appointed 
for  her  waking." 

Utterly  bewildered,  I  dropped  the  woman's  hand. 


TEE  SLEEPING    CLEOPATRA  27 

passed  into  the  study,  and  threw  myself  into  my  chair. 
The  Doctor  followed,  and  stood  before  me,  watch 
in  hand,  trembling  in  his  excitement,  his  lips  twitch- 
ing beneath  their  habitual  smile,  his  small,  bright 
eyes  more  beady  and  shifting  than  ever. 

"Just  one  minute  now,  Mr.  Burnham;  sixty  sec- 
onds more  and  she  will  wake.  See,  I  will  place  the 
lamp  so  that  it  shines  full  upon  her.     Watch  close." 

As  excited  as  he,  I  waited  in  breathless  anticipa- 
tion. The  seconds  passed  like  hours.  At  length  the 
Doctor,  with  a  quick  movement,  thrust  his  watch  back 
into  his  waistcoat  pocket,  stepped  forward  a  pace  or 
two,  and,  in  a  sharp,  shrill  voice,  called,  "  Cleopatra!  " 

The  sleeper  stirred,  turned  from  side  to  side,  shud- 
dered, and,  raising  herself  on  her  elbows,  sat  up  in 
bed  and  stared  blankly  at  us.  Neither  the  Doctor 
nor  I  moved  or  spoke.  At  length  the  woman's  lips 
parted,  as  if  with  difficulty. 

"  What  is  it,  Doctor?     What  has  happened?  " 

"  Nothing,  Cleopatra,  nothing.  You  have  just 
overslept  a  Httle." 

Slowly  Cleopatra  climbed  down  from  the  bed,  and, 
shading  her  eyes  with  her  hand,  tottered  into  the 
study.  She  stopped  short  at  sight  of  the  disordei  of 
the  room. 

"  Goodness,  Doctor,  what  have  you  been  doing?  " 

"  Now  I  shall  catch  it,"  whispered  the  old  man  to 
me. 

"  What  a  frightful  dust !    Did  you  knock  over  the 


28  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

Stove?  Tell  me  how  it  happened."  And  the  old 
woman  frowned  and  wrung  her  hands  as  she  gradu- 
ally comprehended  the  extent  of  the  room's  disorder. 

"  Nothing,  Cleopatra.  Only  you  have  had  a  good 
long  sleep.     You  have  been  asleep  six  months." 

"  Goodness  gracious,  goodness  gracious !  "  she 
ejaculated,  raising  her  hands  above  her  head.  "  So 
you  have  been  giving  me  some  of  your  accursed  stuff ! 
Did  you?  Did  you?  Haven't  I  often  told  you 
that  I  would  rather  die  than  be  drugged  and  stupe- 
fied by  those  drops  of  yours?  And  here  is  my  poor 
Adam!  Isn't  he  awake  yet?  Why,  he  has  been 
asleep  more  than  a  year !  " 

"  Yes,  Cleopatra,  two  years  to-day.  But  he  will 
soon  wake.     Adam  !     Adam !  " 

The  monkey,  lifeless  a  second  before,  instantly 
roused,  shook  his  head  quickly,  grinned,  stretched 
himself  twice,  and  looked  about  the  room.  Perceiv- 
ing Cleopatra,  he  gave  a  great  leap,  landed  upon  her, 
and,  climbing  up,  took  his  seat  on  her  shoulder, 
chattered,  scratched  himself  behind  the  ears,  and  then 
began  to  howl  piteously. 

"  Poor  fellow !  You  are  hungry !  Well,  I  should 
think  so — nothing  to  eat  for  two  years!  Come,  Til 
get  you  something  right  away." 

The  monkey  seemed  to  understand,  and  stopped 
howling.  Cleopatra  moved  quickly  to  the  door, 
which  she  had  half  opened,  when  suddenly  she 
stopped  short,  turned,  and  exclaimed  sharply,  "  And 


THE  SLEEPING    CLEOPATRA  29 

Antony!  Where  is  he?  Asleep  too?  Oh,  you  bar- 
barian, how  cruel  you  are,  how  cruel !  " 

"Why,  to  be  sure,  Cleopatra!  How  careless  in 
me!  I  had  almost  forgotten  your  Antony.  But 
he  must  be  awake  by  this  time,  or  I  have  miscal- 
culated." 

Like  a  madman  the  little  Doctor  flew  to  his  old 
worn  coat,  pulled  out  his  memorandum  book,  and 
hastily  turned  the  pages. 

"Exactly!"  he  muttered.  "Here  it  is!  Here's 
the  mistake!  Five  minutes  out!  How  stupid!" 
striking  his  forehead  with  the  palm  of  his  hand. 

"  But  you  shall  have  your  Antony,"  he  continued, 
"  instantly !  "  And,  seizing  the  lamp,  he  hurried  into 
the  bedroom. 

Cleopatra  and  I  followed.  As  we  reached  the 
threshold  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  Doctor,  who, 
having  placed  the  lamp  on  the  floor,  was  just  about 
disappearing  under  the  bed. 

"  What  are  you  looking  for?  "  gasped  Cleopatra. 

"  Your  Antony,"  returned  the  voice  of  the  now  in- 
visible Doctor,  as  he  crawled  about  under  the  bed. 

"  Good  gracious !  Antony  under  my  bed !  "  ejacu- 
lated the  old  woman.  And,  frantically  clasping  the 
monkey  to  her  breast,  she  watched  anxiously  the 
undulations  of  the  mattress,  which  by  its  rise  and  fall 
traced  the  sinuous  course  of  the  explorer  beneath. 

By  this  time  our  philosopher  had  worked  his  way 


30  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

back  to  light,  and  emerged  at  our  feet,  dragging 
after  him,  by  its  tail,  a  large  black  cat. 

"  Here  he  is,  Cleopatra,"  he  panted,  rising  and 
shaking  from  his  garments  a  cloud  of  dust.  "  Here 
is  your  Antony !  " 

Scarcely  had  he  spoken  when  life  and  motion  re- 
turned to  the  animal,  which,  arching  its  back  and 
spreading  its  furry  tail,  stalked  over  to  claim  its  mis- 
tress's protection,  meowing  piteously  the  while. 

"  My  Antony,  my  Antony ! "  she  exclaimed  in 
soothing  tones,  as  she  bent  over  him,  lifted  him,  and 
placed  him  on  her  unoccupied  shoulder. 

"  A  very  pretty  group  you  three  make,  Cleopatra," 
remarked  the  Doctor,  with  a  smile.  "  Now  go  and 
get  something  to  eat." 

"  We  will,  you  wretch,  after  the  long  fast  you  have 
given  us  with  your  infernal  drugs !  "  And  the  woman 
hurried  across  the  room,  and  with  a  parting  look  of 
scorn  passed  into  the  hall  and  slammed  the  door  be- 
hind her. 

Several  moments  passed  in  silence,  broken  at 
length  by  the  dry,  chuckling  voice  of  the  Doctor. 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha,  ha!  "  he  laughed.  "  Well,  what  do 
you  think  of  my  experiment,  Mr.  Burnham?  But 
never  mind,  it  has  made  me  hungry,  too.  Wait,  I 
will  order  some  sandwiches  and  wine." 

In  an  instant  he  had  reached  the  hall  door,  opened 
it,  and  called  over  the  banister :  "  Cleopatra,  some 
sandwiches  and  a  bottle  of  wine !  " 


THE  SLEEPING    CLEOPATRA  31 

"  We  come  first ! "  sounded  Cleopatra's  food- 
choked  voice  from  below. 

**  Ha,  ha,  ha,  ha ! "  laughed  the  Doctor  again,  as 
he  turned  back  into  the  room.  "  Well,  I  can  hardly 
blame  her.  How  often  has  she  begged  me  never  to 
give  her  a  drop  of  my  elixir !  But  I  could  not  resist, 
and  you  see  how  completely  successful  my  experiment 
was,  to  the  very  minute.  Are  you  satisfied  now,  Mr. 
Burnham?  " 

I  reflected.  "  To  speak  quite  frankly,  Doctor, 
your  proofs  do  not  quite  satisfy  me,"  I  replied^  some- 
what uncertainly. 

"  Not  yet  ?  "  he  cried.  "  Well,  then — however, 
first  I  will  get  something  to  eat.  But  you  shall  be- 
lieve in  me.     You  must !  " 

He  darted  through  the  doorway  and  hurried  down. 


IV 

A   GLASS   OF   WINE 

Left  for  the  moment  to  my  own  reflections,  I  sat 
motionless  in  my  chair  by  the  writing-table,  striving 
in  vain  to  clear  up  my  confused  impressions.  It  was 
impossible  for  me  to  believe  that  this  little,  withered 
old  man,  with  one  foot  already  in  the  grave,  had 
really  made  a  discovery  that  could  set  at  naught  all 
our  human  wisdom. 

The  more  I  pondered  the  more  I  became  con- 
vinced that  I  was  the  victim  of  a  cleverly  devised 
trick.  But  what  was  his  object  ?  Perhaps  he  hoped 
that  I,  as  a  journalist,  might  publish  some  sensa- 
tional article  about  him  and  his  discovery,  and  thus 
help  him  to  a  cheap  notoriety.  But  in  that  case  his 
claim  could  not  help  being  subjected  to  the  merciless 
scrutiny  of  experts,  his  deceit  would  be  discovered, 
and  he  himself  publicly  disgraced.  Surely  he  had 
sense  enough  to  understand  that. 

For  the  present  my  reflections  ended  there,  for  at 
this  point  Dr.  Rudini  returned,  carrying  in  his  hands 
a  small  tray,  on  which  were  a  bottle,  two  glasses,  and 
some  sandwiches. 

"  Here  I  am !     But  I  had  to  get  the  things  my- 


A    GLASS    OF    WINE  33 

self.  Cleopatra  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  me. 
You  should  see  them  in  the  kitchen,  eating  and  drink- 
ing so  that  one  trembles  for  them.  Come,  help 
yourself,  Mr.  Burnham.  Here  is  Rhine  wine,  and 
there  are  ham  sandwiches.  Stop!  I  forgot  the 
mustard.  I'll  run  down  and  get  it.  Meanwhile, 
fill  up  the  glasses !  " 

With  the  last  words  he  turned  again  toward  the 
door,  then  stopped,  and  as  if  at  a  sudden  thought, 
"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  go  down  instead,  Mr. 
Burnham.  Cleopatra  will  give  you  the  mustard  pot. 
You  really  must  not  miss  seeing  the  festivities  below." 

I  readily  assented,  and,  descending  the  two  flights 
of  stairs,  found  the  kitchen,  without  much  trouble. 
The  three  diners  did  indeed  present  an  amusing  spec- 
tacle, seated  at  a  wooden  table,  over  which  a  red  cloth 
was  spread,  and  on  which  were  strewn  such  provisions 
as  the  neglected  larder  offered.  The  monkey  and  the 
cat,  perched  on  high  chairs  on  either  side  of  their  mis- 
tress, had  no  time  to  object  to  my  presence,  but  de- 
voted themselves  to  the  food  which  had  been  plenti- 
fully provided,  showing  table  manners  which,  under 
the  circumstances,  were  surprisingly  good.  The  dog 
alone,  who,  stretched  on  the  floor,  was  lazily  watching 
his  three  companions  at  their  repast,  greeted  me  with 
a  few  friendly  thumps  of  his  tail.  Cleopatra,  however, 
at  my  polite  request  for  the  mustard  pot,  glanced  at  me 
sourly,  handed  it  to  me  without  a  word,  and  resumed 


34  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

the  meal  which  she  had  scarcely  interrupted.  I  re- 
turned to  the  upper  room. 

As  I  entered  the  study,  the  Doctor  was  just  about 
setting  down  the  wine  bottle,  w^ith  which  he  had  filled 
the  glasses. 

"  Take  your  glass,  Mr.  Burnham.  You'll  find  this 
better  wine  than  the  cafe  provides." 

I  thanked  him,  seated  myself,  drew  toward  me  the 
nearest  glass,  and  began  to  eat  a  sandwich.  The  Doc- 
tor leaned  forward  in  the  lamplight,  his  raised  glass  in 
his  hand,  his  elbow  resting  on  the  table. 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Burnham,"  said  he,  "  let  us  drink 
to  the  success  of  my  discovery." 

"  With  pleasure,"  I  replied.  "  But  before  I  can  be- 
lieve in  it  you  must  give  me  better  proofs  than  those 
you  have  shown  to-night." 

"  So  you  are  still  a  doubting  Thomas !  Well,  you 
shall  yet  be  convinced.  I  will  give  you  proof  that  you 
will  remember  all  your  life.  However,  drink  now — 
drink  to  the  success  of  our  experiment." 

I  raised  my  glass. 

"  Doctor,  I  drink  to  the  success  of  your  experi- 
ment."    And  at  one  gulp  I  tossed  off  its  contents." 

As  I  replaced  the  empty  glass  upon  the  tray  my  eye 
fell  upon  a  little  phial  that  stood  beside  the  wine  bottle 
on  the  table.  I  had  not  noticed  it  before.  Perhaps 
I  should  not  have  noticed  it  now  had  not  my  attention 
been  drawn  to  it  by  the  varying  shades  of  color  in 
which  it  caught  and  reflected  the  rays  of  the  lamp. 


A    GLASS    OF    WINE  85 

The  phial  itself  was  apparently  of  cut  glass,  of  a  deli- 
cate and  opalescent  green — or  perhaps  the  color  of  the 
glass  might  have  been  due  to  the  liquid  which  it  en- 
closed. This  liquid,  of  which  there  was  but  little, 
seemed  at  first  sight  a  dense  black,  but  as  I  looked 
closely  I  saw  along  its  surface  run  lines  and  points  of 
changing  light,  like  the  phosphorescence  of  the  sea  at 
night.  For  some  moments  these  lines  and  points 
played  over  the  inky  Hquid,  then  gradually  died  out, 
leaving  one  pale,  nebulous  spot  which,  as  I  watched, 
grew  large  and  more  luminous,  taking  on  various  deli- 
cate shades,  in  turn  yellow,  green,  blue,  and  crimson, 
until  at  last  the  whole  interior  of  the  phial  glowed  with 
a  rosy  opalescence.  This  in  its  turn  faded  slowly  and 
became  extinguished,  and  again  the  phial  stood  in  its 
original  shade  of  green,  and  within  its  lower  half  the 
dull  black  liquid,  over  which  played  the  tiny  points  of 
phosphorescence. 

More  startled  and  amazed  than  I  had  been  at  any 
time  during  this  surprising  evening,  I  raised  my  eyes 
and  gazed  at  the  Doctor.  The  man's  whole  manner 
had  changed. 

He  was  standing  close  to  the  table,  his  glass  of 
untasted  wine  in  his  hand,  watching  me  quietly  and 
intently.  His  beady  eyes  met  mine  in  an  expression 
of  dominating  triumph,  but  he  gave  no  sign  of  ner- 
vousness or  impatience.  At  length  he  replaced  his 
glass  upon  the  table,  raised  the  phial  in  his  hand,  and 


36  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

held  it  between  him  and  the  lamp,  as  if  the  better  to 
announce  the  secret  of  its  contents. 

"  Mr.  Burnham,  this  is  the  elixir  of  which  I  have 
spoken.  One  drop  is  enough  to  sink  you  in  a  five 
years'  sleep.  Hitherto  you  have  doubted;  you  de- 
sired better  proof.  I  told  you  I  would  give  you  proof 
which  you  would  remember  all  your  life.  You  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  sleep  a  hundred  years  and  to  waken 
in  the  year  2000  in  a  changed  and  reconstructed 
world.  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  insure  the  fulfil- 
ment of  your  wish. 

"  The  wine  in  which  you  just  now  pledged  me,  Mr. 
Burnham,  contained  twenty  drops  of  my  elixir,  meas- 
ured with  the  minutest  accuracy  and  administered  in 
other  respects  according  to  my  secret  formula.  With- 
in five  minutes  you  will  fall  into  a  deathlike  sleep,  not 
to  return  to  consciousness  until  the  month  of  June  in 
the  year  2000." 

I  opened  my  mouth  to  burst  into  laughter  at  this 
culminating  absurdity.  But,  strange  to  say,  not  a 
sound  escaped  my  lips!  I  wanted  to  speak;  I  could 
not.     An  awful  fear  overwhelmed  me. 

Confounded,  I  tried  to  rise  to  my  feet  and  spring 
at  the  old  man,  feeling  myself  the  victim  of  some 
treachery,  I  knew  not  what.  But  my  limbs  refused 
to  obey.  I  could  barely  raise  myself  a  little,  only  to 
sink  back  into  my  chair,  powerless  and  as  though 
paralyzed. 

"  Softly,  softly,  young  man !     It  is  your  destiny  to 


A    GLASS    OF    WINE  37 

be  the  living  evidence  of  my  discovery.  You  shall 
take  it  with  you  into  the  next  century.  And  take  this 
message  with  you.     Wait,  I  will  write  it." 

A  wild  fury  possessed  me.  I  heard,  I  saw,  yet  I 
could  stir  neither  hand  nor  foot. 

The  Doctor  seated  himself  at  the  table,  drew  to- 
ward him  some  papers,  and  began  to  write,  coolly 
and  methodically. 

By  degrees  my  surroundings  became  more  and 
more  confused  to  me.  Things  seemed  to  recede  from 
my  vision.  It  was  as  if  some  one  had  covered  my 
eyes  with  a  veil,  which  grew  thicker  and  thicker.  At 
last  I  could  no  longer  see  even  the  veil,  nor  could  I 
hear.     My  senses  were  deadened,  yet  was  I  not  dead. 

I  lay  in  a  sleep  such  as  never  had  man  before  me 
slept. 


IN   THE  YEAR  2000 


A   STRANGE   AWAKENING 


I  opened  my  eyes  and  looked  about  me.  I  found 
myself  lying  dressed  upon  a  strange  couch  in  the 
centre  of  a  splendid,  large  marble  hall,  built  in  the 
shape  of  an  amphitheatre  and  decorated  in  red  and 
gold,  and  with  the  eyes  of  hundreds  of  men  and 
women  fixed  upon  me.     I  started  up  in  amazement. 

"  Where  am  I?  "  I  cried,  and  tried  to  jump  from 
my  bed. 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,  Mr.  Burnham,  you  are  among 
friends,"  replied  a  man's  voice. 

I  turned  my  head  and  looked  into  the  face  of  a 
white-bearded  gentleman  of  about  sixty,  dressed  in 
black,  who  sat  in  an  easy-chair  at  my  side. 

"  What  has  happened  ?  What  do  all  these  people 
want  ?  " 

"  You  shall  learn  everything,  but  for  the  present 
have  patience." 

The  old  man  rose  from  his  chair,  settled  the  cush- 
ions behind  me,  and  pushed  me  back  into  them  with 
gentle  force,  so  that  I  now  sat  rather  than  lay,  and 


A    STRANGE   AWAKENING  39 

thus  could  distinctly  perceive  everything  that  went  on 
around  me. 

"  How  are  you ?     Do  you  feel  hungry?  " 

I  stared  at  the  questioner.  I  began  to  realize,  now 
that  the  first  shock  of  terror  had  passed,  that  I  was 
fearfully  tired  and  weak. 

"  I  feel  so  exhausted !  "  I  murmured. 

The  old  man  beckoned  with  his  finger. 

An  elderly  lady,  simply  dressed,  approached  me, 
and  said,  as  she  tucked  a  napkin  loosely  under  my 
chin,  *'  I  will  give  you  a  little  broth.  Then  you  will 
feel  better.     There !     Now  open  your  mouth." 

Mechanically  I  opened  my  mouth,  and  smiHngly 
my  kind  attendant  fed  me  like  a  little  child. 

The  hot,  nourishing  broth,  as  I  slowly  sipped  it, 
acted  like  a  charm.  My  blood,  which  before  had  lain 
like  lead  in  my  veins,  began  to  stir,  and  I  felt  my 
strength  slowly  returning. 

To  test  it  I  raised  my  hands,  and  found,  to  my  de- 
light, that  I  could  do  so  without  special  exertion. 
Feeling  strong  enough  to  feed  myself,  I  extended  my 
hand  for  the  spoon.  The  lady  handed  it  to  me  with 
a  smile  and  placed  the  bowl  conveniently  near,  so  that 
I  could  easily  help  myself.  I  emptied  it  to  the  last 
drop. 

"  Very  good !  "  cried  the  old  gentleman,  much 
pleased,  as  he  took  bowl  and  spoon  from  my  hand. 
The  food  really  seemed  to  have  made  another  man 
of  me.     It  was  as  if  I  had  come  back  from  the  dead, 


40  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

and  with  the  return  of  my  physical  strength  my  men- 
tal powers  revived.  I  began  to  look  around  me  and 
to  think.  Where  was  I?  How  came  I  here?  What 
had  all  these  unknown  people  to  do  with  me?  Was 
I  ill? 

The  old  gentleman  seemed  to  have  guessed  my 
thoughts.  He  took  my  hand,  felt  my  pulse,  and  then 
said,  gravely :  "  So  far,  Mr.  Burnham,  all  has  gone  ac- 
cording to  the  programme.  Your  complete  mental 
and  physical  recovery  is  only  a  matter  of  a  few  hours. 
I  will  leave  you  no  longer  in  doubt  as  to  your  where- 
abouts. You  seem  to  have  partially  forgotten  your 
past  life,  but  that  does  not  surprise  me  after  the  nap 
you  have  taken  !  " 

My  eyes  hung  upon  the  speaker's  lips,  and  I  made 
a  great  mental  effort  to  grasp  the  sense  of  his  words. 

"  I  think  you  are  strong  enough  to  learn  the  truth 
without  further  preface.  You  are  at  this  moment  in 
a  hall  of  Washington  University  in  New  York  City, 
and  these  ladies  and  gentlemen  have  assembled  here 
to  be  present  at  your  awakening  from  your  hundred 
years'  sleep,  and  to  congratulate  you  upon  your  en- 
trance into  a  new  life." 

"  What !  "  I  cried.  "  I  have  slept  a  hundred  years ! 
What  nonsense  is  this?  " 

"  Be  calm,  Mr.  Burnham.  All  your  questions  shall 
be  answered."  As  I  had  started  up  in  my  excitement, 
he  once  more  gently  pushed  me  back  into  my  pillows. 

A  slight  murmur  quivered  through  the  hitherto 


A    STRANGE   AWAKENING  41 

quiet  assembly,  and  only  ceased  when  the  speaker 
continued:  "Yes,  you  have  slept  away  fully  a  hun- 
dred years.  In  June  of  1900,  Dr.  Paul  Rudini  admin- 
istered to  you  a  sleeping-potion,  which  has  forced  yon 
to  sleep  until  this  very  day;  that  is,  until  the  year 
2000,  in  which  we  now  are." 

"  Great  Heavens !  Then  it  was  not  a  dream !  "  I 
exclaimed.  "  Yes,  I  remember !  You  are  right.  So 
the  old  villain  kept  his  word !  " 

"  Mr.  Burnham,  I  cannot  wonder  that  you  feel  a 
grudge  against  the  old  Doctor,  for  he  tore  you  from 
your  own  day  and  environment.  Doubtless  you  are 
familiar  with  the  means  by  which  he  so  cleverly  trans- 
ported you  from  one  century  to  another?  " 

"I  familiar  with  it?  No!  If  you  do  not  know 
how  I  was  drugged,  I  certainly  do  not.  You  are 
aware  that  he  made  me  unconscious  without  my 
knowledge  and  against  my  will." 

"  What !  "  the  old  gentleman  cried,  in  disappoint- 
ment, and  a  shadow  flitted  across  his  face.  "  So  you 
know  neither  the  specific  nor  the  formula?  Then 
mankind's  greatest  discovery  is  perhaps  lost  even  be- 
fore it  was  made  known !  " 

Once  more  a  ripple  passed  over  the  assembly.  All 
seemed  to  feel  tiie  same  disappointment  as  the  old 
man  at  my  side.  They  had  come  here  to  learn  from 
my  own  lips  the  solution  of  this  hundred  years'  secret, 
and  I  was  not  able  to  give  it ! 

But  stop ! 


42  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

That  eventful  evening  in  the  year  1900,  when  Ru- 
dini  so  abominably  used  me  as  a  subject  for  experi- 
ment, stood  out  as  vividly  before  my  eyes  as  if  it  had 
been  but  yesterday.  I  remembered  the  message  of 
which  he  had  spoken,  and  which  he  had  already  be- 
gun to  commit  to  paper  as  I  lay  half  dazed  in  my  chair. 
This  paper  must  be  extant.  Besides,  there  was  the 
little  flask  half  filled  with  the  mysterious  stuff  which 
had  stood  on  his  writing-table.     Where  was  that  ? 

"  Sir,"  I  began,  after  a  considerable  pause,  "  I 
deeply  appreciate  the  disappointment  which  you  must 
feel  at  my  ignorance.  Yet,  perhaps  I  can  throw  a 
little  light  on  this  obscure  point." 

I  related  as  concisely  as  possible  all  that  had  hap- 
pened on  that  historic  evening  of  the  year  1900.  They 
listened  with  interest,  but  without  the  astonishment 
I  had  expected.  Although  I  particularly  mentioned 
the  paper  and  the  little  bottle,  the  prominence  I  gave 
to  these  two  objects  did  not  produce  the  effect  I  an- 
ticipated. The  assembly  gave  no  evidence  that  it 
considered  my  information  of  value. 

When  I  had  finished,  I  looked  inquiringly  at  the 
old  gentleman. 

"  I  have  been  glad  to  hear  your  own  story,  Mr. 
Burnham,"  he  began,  "  and  in  the  name  of  those  pres- 
ent I  thank  you.  However,  we  knew  it  already.  In- 
deed, we  knew  more.  You  remember  that  Dr.  Ru- 
dini's  old  housekeeper,  Cleopatra,  with  her  cat  and 
her  monkey,  had  gone  to  the  kitchen  for  food  after 


A   STRANGE   AWAKENING  43 

the  extended  sleep  into  which  they  had  been  thrown. 
When  she  returned  to  the  study,  she  found  you  rigid 
and  speechless  in  your  chair.  The  Doctor  had  dis- 
appeared, and  with  him  the  phial  of  his  mysterious 
elixir.  Beyond  an  old  memorandum  book  and  a  few 
papers,  the  contents  of  his  desk,  no  trace  of  him  re- 
mained. For  a  time  a  search  was  instituted,  but  as 
far  as  we  know  he  never  reappeared,  and  we  must  as- 
sume that,  fearing  the  consequences  of  his  act,  he  fled 
and  has  long  since  perished,  and  that  with  him  died 
the  secret  of  his  eHxir." 

"  And  what  was  done  with  me?  " 

"  You  were  at  first  thought  to  be  in  a  state  of  cata- 
lepsy. At  the  hospital  to  which  you  were  carried 
the  most  skilful  physicians  of  that  day  worked  for 
months  over  you,  on  that  hypothesis.  Naturally,  they 
failed  to  bring  you  back  to  life." 

"  How  happened  it,"  I  asked,  "  that  the  real  state 
of  things  was  discovered  ?  You  seem  to  have  all  the 
facts  in  your  possession.  One  would  think  the  cir- 
cumstances would  have  been  forgotten  or  ignored, 
and  my  own  unconscious  body  so  treated  that  my 
death  would  long  since  have  cut  the  Gordian  knot." 

"  That  might  have  been  the  case,"  replied  my  new 
friend,  "  had  not  public  curiosity  been  so  much 
aroused.  The  newspapers  took  the  matter  up,  the 
woman's  story  was  widely  circulated,  some  persons 
even  pretended  to  see  a  supernatural  element  in  the 
affair.      You  became  a  cause  cHebre.     Science  in- 


44  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

terested  itself,  and  finally  it  was  determined  to  let 
you  sleep  on  undisturbed,  and  to  see  if  the  prediction 
of  Dr.  Rudini  would  be  verified.  As  we  see  to-day, 
his  calculations  were  correct,  and  you  have  become 
famous  in  your  sleep,  as  it  were.  Let  me  take  this 
opportunity  to  welcome  you  as  the  guest  of  all  man- 
kind now  living,  and  to  express  our  hope  that  you 
may  soon  feel  at  home  among  us  and  may  become  a 
useful  citizen  in  our  midst." 

These  cordial  words,  evidently  the  prearranged  ex- 
pression of  public  opinion,  were  followed  by  applause 
which  quickly  dispelled  my  heavy  thoughts.  Agree- 
ably aroused,  I  stretched  out  my  hands  to  the  old 
gentleman,  who  took  and  pressed  them  warmly. 

"  I  thank  you  all  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,"  I 
stammered. 

Though  my  words  could  not  have  been  widely 
audible,  yet  my  gesture  must  have  been  correctly  in- 
terpreted by  the  assemblage,  which  broke  out  afresh 
into  applause.  The  joyous  excitement  that  had  taken 
possession  of  me  gave  me  such  strength  that  I  sat  up 
quickly,  and  sprang  from  the  couch  to  the  floor, 
where  I  stood  erect. 

I  had  known  that  I  was  dressed,  but  how  describe 
my  surprise  when  I  looked  down  and  perceived  the 
nature  of  my  dress — black  knickerbockers,  supported 
by  a  belt,  long  black  stockings,  and  low  shoes,  upon 
which  buckles  gleamed  ?  In  my  surprise  I  turned  to 
the  old  gentleman,  who  was  supporting  me. 


A   STRANGE   AWAKENING  45 

He  wore  a  thin,  black  summer  coat  resting  com- 
fortably over  a  pleated,  white,  unstarched  shirt,  under 
the  broad  turnover  collar  of  which  was  loosely  tied  a 
red  necktie,  resembling  a  neckcloth.  Knickerbock- 
ers, with  belt,  stockings,  and  low  shoes,  exactly  like 
mine,  completed  his  costume. 

Puzzled,  I  looked  at  the  other  gentlemen  who  stood 
nearest  to  us.  All  wore  the  same  costume,  except 
that  the  colors  varied.  I  saw  gray,  blue,  brown, 
though  the  most  noticeable  color  was  black. 

The  old  gentleman  smilingly  followed  my  glance. 
"  You  see  here  the  style  of  the  last  fifty  years !  " 

This  easy,  unconstrained  clothing  pleased  me  much. 
I  scanned  the  women. 

Straw  hats  like  the  men's  were  set  tastefully  on  their 
well-dressed  hair.  Under  the  summer  jacket,  loose 
and  provided  with  pockets,  a  vest  could  be  seen,  as 
well  as  a  portion  of  the  shirt,  with  broad,  turnover 
collar  and  a  colored  necktie.  The  costume  was  com- 
pleted by  a  skirt,  fastened  with  a  belt,  and  reaching 
to  the  ankles,  and  by  graceful  low  shoes  which  the 
skirt  left  distinctly  visible. 

I  looked  for  ornaments,  but  saw  none  except  the 
plain  gold  bands  of  wedding  rings.  A  rose,  in  the 
hair  or  fastened  on  the  jacket,  seemed  the  only  orna- 
ment. 

How  simple  and  yet  how  pretty!  And  how  this 
simplicity  and  taste  enchanted  me! 

Here  and  there  I  noticed  a  little  silver  button,  worn 


46  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

by  both  men  and  women  in  the  upper  buttonhole  of 
coat  or  jacket.  My  new  friend  was  among  those  on 
whom  I  observed  it.  Evidently  this  button  was  a 
badge  of  distinction. 

I  was  surprised  by  the  novelty  of  this  costume  of 
the  year  2000,  and  my  astonishment  seemed  to  amuse 
the  assemblage,  which  broke  out  here  and  there  into 
applause  as  my  bewildered  gaze  wandered  from  one 
to  another  of  the  spectators. 

In  the  meantime  my  new  friend  had  picked  up  two 
straw  hats  which  had  been  lying  on  a  little  table  by 
my  couch.  One  of  these  he  pressed  into  my  hand, 
saying  to  me  softly :  "  I  will  take  you  out  into  the  air. 
Lean  on  me." 

I  did  as  he  bid  me,  for  I  still  felt  very  weak,  and  we 
walked  slowly  through  the  welcoming  crowd,  many 
of  whom,  especially  the  women,  tried  to  shake  my 
hand.  As  we  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  hall,  a 
splendid,  broad,  open  colonnade  lay  before  us,  and  we 
were  greeted  by  the  balmy,  fragrant  air  of  June. 

I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  approach  the 
marble  parapet  and  look  down  into  the  courtyard.  As 
I  did  so  a  low  exclamation  of  wonder  escaped  my  lips, 
for  a  marvellous  picture  lay  below. 

A  square  garden,  artistically  laid  out,  with  flower 
beds,  statues,  trees,  benches,  arbors,  and  gravelled 
paths,  filled  the  whole  courtyard.  Young  men  and 
girls,  separate  or  in  groups,  stood,  sat,  or  rechned  on 


A   STRANGE   AWAKENING  47 

the  green  grass,  chatting  or  reading  books  or  news- 
papers, and  the  clear  blue  sky  laughed  down  over  all. 

"  There  you  see  a  portion  of  our  student  youth," 
said  my  guide. 

"  Glorious !  "  I  whispered.  "  This  splendid  univer- 
sity, with  its  imposing  pillared  halls,  its  costly  statues, 
wonderful  flowers,  and  merry  young  people !  " 

"  You  shall  see  more  of  the  beauty  and  use  of  this 
building  as  soon  as  you  are  a  little  stronger.  But  let 
us  go  down." 

As  he  led  me  slowly  to  one  of  the  passenger  eleva- 
tors, I  said  to  him,  having  observed  the  universal  re- 
spect with  which  he  was  greeted :  "  Pardon  me,  but  I 
do  not  yet  know  your  name.     You  know  me,  whereas 


"  You  are  right,"  he  interrupted,  smiling.  "  I  have 
known  you  for  about  twenty  years !  No  wonder  that 
I  quite  forgot.  My  name  is  Donnelly — Charles  Don- 
nelly, and  I  have  the  honor  to  direct  this  university  as 
its  president." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  President." 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  elevator.  A  young 
man  opened  the  wire  door  for  us.  The  president 
nodded  pleasantly  to  him. 

"  Another  of  our  students,"  he  said,  as  we  sat  down 
on  a  sofa.  Almost  without  our  noticing  it,  the  ele- 
gant room,  fitted  with  mirrors,  pictures,  and  sofas, 
and  holding  about  fifty  persons,  sank  so  quickly  that 


48  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

I  had  not  time  to  ask  one  of  the  many  questions  that 
were  at  the  tip  of  my  tongue. 

"  Here  we  are." 

We  left  the  elevator,  crossed  the  colonnade,  and, 
after  descending  three  broad  marble  steps,  found  our- 
selves in  the  splendid,  fragrant  courtyard,  enclosed 
within  the  colossal  university.  Looking  up  wonder- 
ingly,  I  saw  that  the  beautiful  building  was  ten  stories 
high,  that  each  story  was  surrounded  with  a  colon- 
nade, and  the  roof  surmounted  by  a  graceful  railing 
and  adorned  with  four  small  towers  provided  with 
clocks.  The  courtyard  appeared  larger  than  when 
I  had  looked  down  upon  it  from  above. 

"  From  which  floor  did  we  come?  " 

"  From  the  sixth." 

The  young  people  whom  me  passed  looked  stealth- 
ily at  me  as  they  bowed  politely.  Their  exterior 
struck  me  at  once,  from  the  fact  that  the  difference  in 
the  dress  of  the  two  sexes  was  insignificant. 

On  the  head  each  wore  a  gray  cap  with  a  black 
band.  A  gray  jacket,  something  like  a  sailor  blouse, 
concealed  the  upper  portion  of  the  body.  Yellow 
badges,  the  significance  of  which  was  unknown  to  me, 
were  sewn  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  blouse.  Gray 
knickerbockers,  fastened  around  the  hips  with  a  broad 
black  belt,  constituted  the  only  striking  difference  in 
costume.  The  young  men  wore  theirs  tighter,  while 
those  of  the  girls  reached  below  the  knee,  were  wider, 
and  reminded  me  strongly  of  the  bloomers  worn  in 


A    STRANGE    AWAKENING  49 

my  day  by  many  women  and  girls.  Long  black  stock- 
ings and  black,  buckled  low  shoes  formed  the  rest  of 
the  outer  dress. 

Upon  the  sleeves  of  several  I  saw  one,  two,  or  three 
yellow  cords  sewn,  presumably  a  mark  of  distinction. 

A  bevy  of  pretty  young  girls  came  walking  toward 
us,  and  I  regarded  them  with  pleasure.  Mr.  Don- 
nelly observed  my  interest.  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  look  at 
that  group  of  girls.  Can  you  imagine  a  sight  more 
charming?  With  what  proud  erectness  they  walk, 
and  with  what  freedom  from  constraint !  How  their 
cheeks  glow  and  their  eyes  sparkle !  Yes,  rational 
education  and  a  dress  which  leaves  to  the  body  its 
natural  movement  have  done  much  for  our  youth. 
We  aim  to  educate  our  children,  especially  our  girls, 
not  to  be  dolls  or  creatures  of  convention,  but  fresh, 
joyous,  animated  human  beings.  We  wish  them  to 
enjoy  their  youth  thoroughly  and  at  the  same  time  to 
prepare  for  a  serious  later  life." 

I  was  about  to  reply,  but  the  laughing,  talking 
group  was  now  too  near  for  me  to  venture  any  com- 
ments. 

"  Let  us  rest  a  while.  You  must  be  tired,"  said  the 
president,  drawing  me  to  a  little  arbor.  We  entered 
and  seated  ourselves  upon  a  bench. 

"  To  tell  the  truth,"  I  replied,  "  I  feel  stronger  than 
ever." 

"  No  doubt.  But  that  is  due  to  the  excitement  of 
your  new  surroundings.  To-morrow  you  will  prob- 
4 


50  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

ably  be  strong  enough  to  begin  a  course  of  instruc- 
tion. I  must  admit,  Mr.  Burnham,  that  I  long  to 
make  you  a  thorough  citizen  of  this  era,  which  is  still 
so  completely  unknown  to  you.  I  had  a  son — he 
would  now  be  about  your  age — you  are  not  more 
than  twenty-seven  or  twenty-eight?  " 

"  I  was  twenty-seven  when  I  fell  asleep." 

"  Then  that  is  your  age  still !  For  your  Httle  nap 
has  not  made  any  change  in  your  body.  My  son 
would  be  just  your  age.  Unhappily,  he  died  when 
he  was  but  seven  years  old,  twenty  years  ago.  It 
was  about  that  time  that  you  were  consigned  to  my 
care,  and  I  then  made  a  vow  that  with  your  consent 
I  would  treat  you  as  my  son  and  would  educate  you 
in  conformity  with  the  present  ideas,  provided  you 
should  awaken.  Tell  me,  please,  what  parents  or 
relatives  had  you  when  you  began  your  sleep?  " 

"  My  parents  were  dead.  I  had  a  few  distant  rela- 
tives to  whom  my  fate  could  not  have  occasioned 
any  great  concern." 

"  Good !  Then  my  wife  and  I  will  do  all  we  can  to 
make  you  a  thorough  citizen  of  the  year  2000  as 
quickly  as  possible." 

"  For  which  I  shall  thank  you  both  with  all  my 
heart ;  although  I  have  not  yet  the  honor  of  knowing 
your  wife." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  know  her.  You  remember  the  lady 
in  black,  who  gave  you  the  broth  ?     That  was  she." 

"  And  I  entirely  forgot  to  thank  her !  " 


A   STRANGE   AWAKENING  51 

President  Donnelly  laughed.  "  Don't  take  it  too 
much  to  heart,  Mr.  Burnham.  To-morrow  you  will 
have  an  opportunity  to  atone  for  any  shortcomings." 

I  was  silent  for  a  moment,  my  thoughts  diverted 
to  a  new  channel. 

"  Tell  me,"  I  said  at  length,  "  have  the  changes 
which  Bellamy  described  been  introduced  into  your 
world  of  to-day?  " 

"  No.  You  will  find  a  different  world  from  that 
described  by  Bellamy.  Bellamy  was,  to  be  sure,  a 
clever  and  inventive  man,  and  had  the  good  of  man- 
kind at  heart,  but  his  plans  would  not  have  made  us 
much  happier.  However,  let  us  leave  that  subject 
until  another  time ;  it  is  too  comprehensive  to  be  dis- 
cussed now  in  brief." 

"  One  question  more.  The  assembly  which  I  found 
upon  my  awakening — was  it  met  on  my  account?  " 

"  Yes.  As  you  may  imagine,  your  extraordinary 
sleep  has  been  discussed  innumerable  times  in  the 
newspapers.  The  most  prominent  physicians  and  the 
most  learned  men  have  debated  it.  As  the  day  of 
your  awakening  approached,  delegates  came  from  al- 
most every  university  and  hospital  to  be  present  at 
the  event.  Lectures  were  given,  and,  well — you  saw 
the  result  when  you  awoke.  To-morrow  the  daily 
papers  of  the  different  States  will  be  full  of  the  oc- 
currence." 

"  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  send  me  a  copy?  " 


52  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

"  With  pleasure.  But  I  scarcely  think  you  will  be 
able  to  read  it." 

"Why?     Is  it  not  in  English?" 

Mr.  Donnelly  smiled.  "  With  your  permission," 
he  said,  "  I  will  postpone  answering  that  question  un- 
til to-morrow,  when  you  will  learn  many  things  that 
will  no  doubt  seem  strange.  Let  us  go  back,  for  it  is 
growing  dark.  I  will  show  you  the  room  which  is  to 
be  yours  for  the  present.  My  wife  will  send  over  a 
good  broth.  We  must  not  tax  your  strength  too 
much  this  first  day." 

We  rose,  and  as  the  mild,  fresh  air  had  really  given 
me  strength,  I  walked  briskly  beside  my  guide,  with- 
out support.  The  now  brilliantly  lighted  elevator  car- 
ried us  quickly  to  the  sixth  floor.  There  the  presi- 
dent led  the  way  and  I  followed,  making  use  of  the 
opportunity  to  cast  hasty  glances  at  the  splendid  pic- 
tures hanging  on  the  walls  of  the  brightly  lighted 
colonnade.  The  president  had  meanwhile  opened  a 
door,  and  I  entered.  A  rather  large  room  with  two 
windows  lay  before  me.  Although  it  contained  a 
good  bed,  a  table,  a  mirror,  and  a  few  chairs,  I  saw 
at  once  that  it  was  not  intended  for  a  living  room,  as 
there  were  glass  cupboards  against  the  walls,  in  which 
were  hundreds  of  specimens  of  apparatus  of  a  kind 
unknown  to  me. 

"  This  room  has  been  your  dwelling  place  for  the 
past  twenty  years,  and  shall  be  such  to-night  for  the 


A   STRANGE   AWAKENING  53 

last  time.  My  wife  is  probably  now  arranging  your 
new  room," 

During  his  last  words  I  had  stepped  to  the  mirror 
and  looked  at  myself  with  curiosity.  But  I  could  dis- 
cover nothing  remarkable  about  my  appearance  ex- 
cept that  I  had  grown  a  trifle  thinner.  What  chiefly 
interested  me  was  my  new  and  very  suitable  clothing. 
It  had  nothing  stiff  about  it,  nothing  to  hinder  free 
movement. 

The  president  turned  on  the  electric  light,  drew  the 
curtains  of  my  windows  close,  and  seated  himself  in 
an  armchair.  I  was  about  to  sit  down  also  when 
some  one  knocked  at  the  door. 

In  response  to  my  loud  "  Come,"  a  young  man  in 
student's  costume  appeared,  bringing  me,  on  a  tray, 
a  bowl  of  broth  and  a  few  slices  of  bread.  I  fell  upon 
them  forthwith. 

When  I  had  finished  my  simple  meal  and  the  stu- 
dent had  departed,  the  president  said  to  me  kindly: 
"  You  must  promise  me,  Mr.  Burnham,  that  you  will 
go  to  bed  at  once.  You  need  a  sound,  natural  sleep. 
To-morrow  morning  early — at  eight  o'clock — I  will 
call  for  you.     Good-night.     Sleep  well." 

"  Thank  you.     Good-night." 

He  was  gone. 

True  to  my  promise,  I  undressed  at  once,  jumped 
into  bed,  and  was  instantly  asleep. 


II 

A   NEW   WORLD 

When  I  awoke  next  morning  I  felt  so  well  that  I 
sprang  at  once  out  of  bed,  slipped  into  my  clothes,  and 
hurried  to  the  window  to  take  a  look  at  the  street. 

Scarcely  had  I  pushed  aside  the  curtains  and  opened 
the  window  when  a  cry  of  astonishment  escaped  me. 
I  could  scarcely  trust  my  eyes. 

What  had  become  of  the  narrow,  dirty,  badly  paved 
streets  with  the  hideous  elevated  railroad  trestles,  the 
rattling  cable  cars,  the  lumbering  drays,  the  rumbling 
carts,  the  half-starved  horses,  the  rough,  cursing  dri- 
vers, the  ownerless  dogs,  the  fat,  sleepy  policemen, 
and  the  reckless  bicyclers  of  my  youth? 

Where  were  the  low,  wretchedly  built,  unwhole- 
some houses,  with  the  thousand  little  shops,  cigar 
stores,  saloons,  brothels  and  low  dives,  and  the  pos- 
ters, placards,  bulletins,  sheriff's  notices,  disfiguring 
the  whole?  And  where  the  telephone,  telegraph  and 
electric  wires,  dangerous  to  life,  and  the  gallows-like 
poles  reaching  to  the  roofs? 

Where,  above  all,  was  the  pushing,  jolting  human 
crowd,  always  in  evidence  in  my  day,  made  up  of 
dirty    laborers,    rapacious    beggars,    richly   dressed 


A    NEW    WORLD  55 

idlers,  fantastically  arrayed  ladies  and  grisettes,  pale, 
poorly  clothed  factory  and  shop  girls,  insistent  fakirs, 
roaring,  half-naked  newsboys  and  bootblacks? 

Nothing,  not  a  sign,  of  this  commotion,  once  so 
offensive  to  me,  was  visible.  What  I  now  saw  re- 
sembled the  Fata  Morgana,  or  a  scene  from  the 
"  Arabian  Nights." 

I  had,  indeed,  marvelled  when  my  eyes  first  opened 
yesterday  after  my  long  sleep,  and  I  gazed  upon  the 
strangely  dressed  people  who  filled  the  splendid,  vast 
marble  hall,  and,  later,  saw  the  colonnade  adorned 
with  pictures,  the  beautiful  fragrant  courtyard  and 
the  elevator  that  seemed  a  drawing-room.  But 
magnificent  as  I  had  found  it  all,  I  had  not  tried  to 
account  for  it.  I  thought  that  special  pains  had  been 
taken  to  ornament  this  colossal  ten-story  university. 
In  fact,  I  had  an  idea  that  perhaps  this  was  the  only 
building  upon  which  such  extravagant  outlay  had 
been  squandered. 

But  one  glance  from  the  window  taught  me  better. 

Below  lay  an  asphalt  street,  smooth  as  glass,  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  broad,  planted  at  the 
sides  with  double  rows  of  fruit  trees  of  different  kinds. 
Among  the  trees  narrow  flower  beds  were  laid  out, 
embellished  with  vases  and  statues.  Benches  invited 
one  to  repose,  and  artistically  decorated  fountains 
beckoned  to  the  thirsty. 

In  the  middle  of  the  street,  at  regular  intervals, 


56  TUE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

Stood  gigantic  bronze  figures,  holding  up  large  elec- 
tric lamps. 

At  the  sides  of  the  street,  not  far  from  the  pave- 
ment, elegant,  handsomely  upholstered  electric  wag- 
ons, always  three  coupled  together,  glided  noise- 
lessly past  on  tracks,  taking  up  and  letting  off  pas- 
sengers at  the  street  crossings.  One  or  two  very 
fast  wagons,  proceeding  in  various  directions,  evi- 
dently served  some  special  purpose. 

The  people  I  saw  were  dressed  more  or  less  as  I 
had  seen  them  the  day  before  in  the  university. 
Proud  and  self-contained  they  walked,  and  no  one 
of  them  seemed  oppressed  with  care. 

One  circumstance  struck  me ;  I  saw  nobody  cross- 
ing the  street.  Ah!  Just  then  I  saw  two  men  on 
my  side  disappear  among  the  trees.  Eagerly  I 
watched  the  opposite  side.  Sure  enough!  There 
they  reappeared  on  the  other  side!  So  there  were 
underground  crossings  at  the  street  intersections. 
How  simple  and  practical,  and  how  many  human 
lives  must  be  spared  in  this  way ! 

The  splendid,  living  panorama  of  the  street  so  af- 
fected me  that  I  scarcely  dared  divert  my  gaze,  for 
fear  it  all  might  melt  into  nothingness.  At  last,  how- 
ever, I  raised  my  eyes  and  let  them  stray  above  the 
street,  and  to  the  right  and  left,  and  beheld,  as  far 
as  I  could  see,  colossal,  square,  skilfully  decorated 
marble  palaces,  built  in  various  styles  of  architec- 
ture. 


A    NEW    WORLD  57 

Each  of  these  colossal  buildings  stood  apart  by  it- 
self, surrounded  by  fruit  trees,  flower  beds,  statues, 
benches,  and  side  paths.  Large  sculptured  figures 
adorned  the  entrances,  and  broad  balconies,  beauti- 
fied with  flowers,  were  in  front  of  many  of  the  win- 
dows, \\'hen  I  counted  the  stories,  I  found  that  each 
of  these  palaces  was  ten  floors  high. 

Upon  the  flat  roofs  I  saw  splendid  gardens,  en- 
closed by  wires  and  glittering  like  gold  in  the  sun, 
and  among  the  palms,  the  statues,  and  electric  lamps 
moved  men,  women  and  children,  walking  in  the 
pure  morning  air,  while  far  and  wide  there  was  not 
a  chimney  visible  to  poison  the  glorious  atmosphere. 

Happy  people ! 

But  what  was  the  purpose  of  these  gorgeous  build- 
ings? Were  they  state  institutions,  or  hotels,  or 
perhaps  residences — residences  of  the  year  2000? 
Quickly  as  the  last  idea  occurred  to  me,  just  as 
quickly  I  dismissed  it.  Where  could  people  get  the 
means  to  live  in  such  splendid  buildings — in  build- 
ings finer  than  the  most  beautiful  edifices  I  had  seen 
in  my  day,  buildings  that  could  be  compared  only  to 
the  great  palaces  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans? 

Yet,  as  I  leaned  out  to  discover  something  that  re- 
sembled the  wretched,  tainted  dwelling  houses  of 
my  time,  in  which  the  poor  and  the  middle-class  were 
obliged  to  spend  their  lives,  not  one  such  building 
could  I  see.  Wherever  I  looked  there  stood  only 
these  ten-story  palaces,   varied   in   decoration,   sur- 


58  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

rounded  by  fruit  trees,  flower  beds,  vases,  statues,  and 
marble  seats. 

This  glorious  panorama  so  engrossed  both  head 
and  heart,  that  I  quite  forgot  my  immediate  sur- 
roundings, and  could  only  gaze  intently  out  into  this 
new,  noble  world  before  me.  Was  it  strange  that  I 
did  not  hear  the  entrance  of  my  fatherly  friend,  the 
president,  and  that  he  clapped  me  on  the  shoulder 
before  I  turned?  A  deep,  involuntary  sigh  escaped 
me. 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Burnham.  I  see  you  are 
becoming  acquainted  with  our  town.  How  do  you 
like  it?" 

"  I  scarcely  think  your  question  needs  an  answer," 
I  repHed,  making  an  effort  to  collect  my  thoughts. 
"  I  find  it  hard  to  recover  from  the  feeling  of  exalta- 
tion which  my  glimpse  of  the  city  has  aroused.  But 
this  street  must  be  one  of  the  most  fashionable  in 
New  York." 

"  By  no  means.  In  your  day  it  was  Third  Avenue, 
and  a  portion  of  the  site  on  which  this  university 
stands  was  occupied  by  Cooper  Institute.  Our  streets 
and  buildings  resemble  each  other,  as  far  as  size,  ex- 
tent and  beauty  are  concerned,  but  the  external  dec- 
orations are  varied  as  much  as  possible  to  offer 
change  to  the  eye.  However,  you  cannot  see  from 
here  the  most  beautiful  street,  or  rather  square,  that 
on  which  our  museums  stand.  The  view  from  this 
window  is  not  particularly  good.     You  cannot  see 


A    NEW    WORLD  59 

the  parks,  public  squares,  schools,  or  theatres.  But 
don't  be  alarmed,  you  shall  not  miss  them." 

"What?  One  street  as  splendid  as  another? 
And  these  great  palaces  are  residences?  Then  where 
do  your  laborers  and  poor  people  live  ?  These  build- 
ings are  too  costly  even  for  the  wealthy.  You  must 
have  laborers'  quarters." 

Mr.  Donnelly  could  not  repress  a  smile.  "  It  is 
clear  that  you  are  not  a  man  of  our  time,  Mr.  Burn- 
ham.  Poor  people !  Rich  people !  Laborers'  quar- 
ters! There  are  no  such  terms  in  the  year  2000. 
We  know  only  human  beings.  And  every  human 
being  is  a  laborer,  a  laborer  for  the  good  of  mankind. 
Every  man  has  rights  and  duties.  '  Each  for  all, 
all  for  each ! '  is  our  loftiest  maxim.  What  each  pro- 
duces serves  the  good  of  all,  and  what  all  produce  is 
at  the  disposal  of  each. 

"  You  know^,  Mr.  Burnham,"  he  continued,  speak- 
ing with  increased  earnestness,  "  God  created  this 
beautiful  world  for  all  people.  It  is  His  will  that 
one  man  should  be  as  well  fed,  as  well  dressed,  and 
as  softly  pillowed  as  another,  and  that  all  should  re- 
joice equally  and  be  equally  partakers  in  the  beauty 
and  grandeur  of  this  world.  Did  He  not  give  us 
man's  understanding,  and  demand  of  us  only  that  we 
use  it  properly?  Well,  it  took  us  thousands  of  years 
to  find  the  truth,  and  to  understand  what  *  Love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself '  really  means.  Long  before  our 
day  men  might  have  been  happier,  had  they  better 


60  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

obeyed  the  laws  of  God  and  Nature.  But  they 
thought  themselves  wiser  than  God  or  Nature;  they 
made  their  own  laws,  and  then  suffered  under  them. 
Men  hated  each  other  because  they  did  not  know 
each  other;  had  they  known  each  other  they  would 
have  loved  each  other."  He  paused  for  a  moment. 
Then,  turning  to  me  with  a  smile,  "  Time  fails  me 
now  to  show  you  fully  the  spirit  that  animates  our 
day.  You  must  learn  to  know  our  scheme  of  life,  to 
adapt  yourself  to  it,  and  then  the  spirit  will  manifest 
itself  to  you  of  itself.  When  that  moment  comes, 
you  will  exclaim  in  wonder  at  the  magnificence  and 
simplicity  of  our  practical  philosophy,  and  will  ask 
why  the  veil  that  darkened  men's  eyes  for  centuries 
was  not  sooner  torn  away." 

"  Mr.  Donnelly,"  I  repHed,  as  he  paused,  "  you 
must  have  known  last  night  that  if  I  had  been  aware 
of  the  splendors  to  be  discovered  in  the  street  out- 
side I  should  never  have  been  content  to  go  to  bed." 

"  Quite  true.  I  foresaw  it,  and  the  result  of  my 
foresight  is  that  you  look  well  and  strong  this  morn- 
ing. We  can  begin  our  course  of  instruction  at  once. 
But  first  let  us  attend  to  our  bodies.  Come,  it  is  al- 
most breakfast  time." 

I  took  my  hat  and  followed  my  guide  through  the 
colonnade  to  one  of  the  elevators.  The  noble  pic- 
ture which  I  had  just  seen  from  my  window  had  made 
such  an  impression  on  me,  that  I  could  not  help  say- 


A    NEW    WORLD  61 

ing,  before  we  took  the  elevator:  "  Let  me  have  just 
a  look  at  this  beautiful  town  from  the  roof." 

"  I  meant  to  show  it  to  you  from  our  own  hotel, 
but  we  need  not  wait,"  he  replied. 

The  elevator  flew  upward  and  landed  us  inside  a 
glass-enclosed  house  on  the  roof,  fragrant  with  the 
fresh  air  of  morning.  There  a  transcendent  picture 
lay  before  us.  The  roof  garden,  with  its  four  towers, 
electric  lamps,  flowers,  vases,  statues,  and  inviting 
benches,  resembled  an  enormous  square.  Within  it 
a  raihng  shut  ofif  the  middle  space,  and,  approaching 
it,  and  leaning  over  the  gilded  balustrade,  I  saw  the 
courtyard  lying  far  down  below. 

When  I  turned,  I  became  aware  of  several  young 
men  and  girls,  who  were  unrolling  a  large  canvas 
awning,  and  spreading  it  over  the  whole  roof  garden 
with  such  rapidity  that  I  could  hardly  follow  all  their 
movements  with  my  eyes. 

"  Whenever  the  sun  is  too  hot  this  awning  is  spread 
to  protect  the  flowers  and  to  make  the  promenaders 
enjoy  their  stay  up  here,"  the  president  explained. 

I  watched  the  movements  of  the  clever  young  peo- 
ple, and  saw  that,  after  the  canvas  roof  was  adjusted, 
they  turned  their  attention  to  the  plants,  pulling  out 
weeds  here,  breaking  ofif  dead  leaves  there,  watering 
the  flowers,  cleaning  the  gravel  paths,  and  sweep- 
ing. 

"  Now  let  us  climb  the  tower,"  said  President  Don- 
nelly. 


62  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

We  entered  the  nearest  of  the  four  towers, 
mounted  a  spiral  iron  stairway,  and,  by  means  of 
a  httle  door  above  the  clock,  emerged  upon  a  nar- 
row gallery  running  around  the  tower,  and  found 
ourselves  in  the  open  air. 

*'  We  are  now  thirty  feet  above  the  roof  garden, 
and  two  hundred  feet  above  the  street.  Look  around 
you." 

"  Glorious !  "  was  the  only  word  that  I  could  utter. 
As  far  as  the  mammoth  city  extended  I  saw  only 
one  huge  garden  pierced  here  and  there  by  slender 
towers  or  gilded  cupolas.  In  the  distance,  beyond 
Central  Park,  where  in  my  time  Morningside  Park 
lay,  I  saw  a  gigantic  statue  of  Liberty  standing  upon 
the  great  gold  dome  of  a  colossal  building  of  vast 
extent  and  classic  style,  and  stretching  her  mighty 
right  hand  with  its  stupendous  torch  high  into  the 
air.  Around  this  building  were  grouped  many 
others,  all  so  beautiful  that  I  could  hardly  decide 
upon  which  to  let  my  eyes  rest  longest. 

"  I  thought  so,"  remarked  my  good-natured  guide. 
"  I  thought  you  could  not  help  feeling  pleasure  at 
sight  of  this  most  beautiful  point  of  our  town.  It 
is  a  pity  that  we  cannot  see  from  here  the  magnificent 
squares  that  surround  those  buildings.  The  great 
structure  with  the  gilded  dome  and  the  statue  of 
Liberty,  whose  torch,  by  the  way,  reaches  seven 
hundred  feet  into  the  air,  is  the  central  point  of  our 
museums.     The  other  buildings,  which  you  see  all 


A    NEW    WORLD  63 

around  it,  are  dedicated  to  the  same  purpose.  They 
are  museums,  but  museums  of  the  twentieth  century 
and  not  lumber  rooms,  as  were  most  of  the  museums 
of  your  day.  Our  museums  are,  so  to  say,  open 
picture  books  for  every  one  to  consult.  It  is  im- 
material of  what  province  of  art,  nature,  or  science 
— immaterial  of  what  land  or  people  or  time  you  may 
wish  to  form  a  picture,  you  will  find  it  there  without 
trouble,  illustrated  down  to  the  smallest  detail." 

"  If  any  one  in  my  time  had  predicted,"  I  ex- 
claimed, "  that  on  the  site  of  the  wretchedly  built 
New  York  of  that  day  this  present  glorious  city 
would  stand,  I  should  have  thought  him  mad.  Yet 
I  have  lived  to  see  this  city  and  this  world  with  my 
own  eyes,  thank  God !  " 

The  president,  observing  my  emotion,  turned  aside, 
and  presently,  stretching  out  his  hand  in  the  opposite 
direction,  said :  "  Look  yonder,  where  the  Post  Of- 
fice stood  in  your  day.  The  building  that  stands 
there  now,  with  the  great  statue  of  Justice  on  the 
dome,  is  our  City  Hall.  Not  far  from  it,  the  struc- 
ture with  the  tower  is  our  newspaper  printing  house. 
Beyond,  near  the  Battery,  stands  the  new  Post  Office. 
Those  three  other  large  and  striking  buildings  are 
our  ware  and  storage  houses.  All  our  factories  are 
situated  where,  in  your  time,  Eleventh  and  Twelfth 
avenues  lay.  In  your  day  there  was  only  one  bridge 
worth  mentioning,  Brooklyn  Bridge.  Look  around 
you  now.     To-day  there  are  three  bridges  to  Brook- 


64  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

lyn,  two  to  Jersey  City,  one  to  Hoboken,  one  to 
Blackwell's  Island,  and  one  to  Long  Island." 

He  paused  as  I  looked  at  the  indicated  points. 
Then  he  continued :  "  Those  other  buildings,  with 
cupolas  or  towers,  are  theatres,  hospitals,  universi- 
ties, or  educational  institutions.  But  come,  let  us 
hurry,  or  we  shall  quite  forget  our  breakfast." 

Had  I  not  been  reminded,  I  should  not  have 
thought  of  eating.  As  we  slowly  descended  the 
stairway  I  noticed  that  the  tower  was  supplied  with 
various  apparatus  for  observation.  When  we  had  re- 
gained the  roof  garden,  the  president  showed  me  a 
bridge,  built  of  skilfully  wrought  iron,  which  led 
from  our  roof  garden  to  that  of  the  next  house. 

"  This  bridge  joins  the  university  to  the  hotel  of 
the  female  students.  On  the  north  side  is  a  similar 
bridge  leading  into  the  young  men's  hotel.  In  this 
w^ay  our  students  can  make  use  of  all  three  roof  gar- 
dens without  trouble." 

We  entered  the  elevator,  and  in  a  moment  stepped 
out  upon  the  first  floor.  Thence,  after  I  had  hastily 
and  wonderingly  admired  the  palatial  marble  en- 
trance hall,  adorned  with  palm  trees,  with  a  fountain, 
and  a  beautifully  sculptured  statue  of  Wisdom,  we 
emerged  into  the  street. 


Ill 

IN   THE   STREET 

We  had  gone  but  a  few  steps,  when  the  idea  that  I 
was  moving  in  another  world,  among  people  of  an- 
other time,  came  upon  me  with  such  overwhelming 
force  that  my  head  swam,  and  I  grasped  my  guide 
nervously  by  the  arm. 

He  smiled.  "  It  all  seems  strange,  does  it  not? 
But  never  mind.  As  soon  as  you  learn  to  know  us 
a  Httle  better,  you  will  feel  quite  at  home  among  us," 

A  flood  of  questions  rose  to  my  lips  as  I  looked 
along  the  fine,  broad  street. 

"  How  is  it,  Mr.  Donnelly,  that  I  see  no  business 
places,  no  heavy  drays,  elevated  roads,  cabs,  electric 
wires,  nor  any  letter  carriers,  workmen,  street  clean- 
ers, nor,  above  all,  any  police  officers?  " 

"  You  ask  many  things  at  once,"  he  replied  good- 
naturedly.  "  And  as  your  questions  are  not  to  be 
answered  in  a  word,  let  us  sit  down  under  the  trees 
for  a  few  minutes." 

We  seated  ourselves  on  one  of  the  benches  that 
lay  invitingly  at  hand,  and  he  began :  "  There  are 
no  private  places  of  business,  because  all  our  busi- 
ness is  under  one  control,  either  that  of  the  city  or 
5 


66  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

that  of  the  state  government.  Each  city  owns  large 
warehouses,  in  which  is  stored  everything  that  mod- 
ern man  can  desire.  Whatever  a  given  city  cannot 
produce,  is  supplied  to  it  by  railroads  or  ships. 
Every  evening  the  stewardess  of  each  hotel  orders 
from  the  warehouse  manager  everything  that  will  be 
needed  next  day  in  her  hotel,  whether  eatables,  cloth- 
ing, or  articles  of  comfort  or  luxury.  The  people 
in  the  warehouses  look  up  the  articles  ordered,  load 
them  on  the  electric  freight  wagons  appointed  for 
this  purpose,  and  deliver  them  at  the  hotels  every 
day  between  six  and  eight  in  the  morning.  Dur- 
ing the  day  these  freight  wagons  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  hotels,  but  are  used  to  call  for  the  new 
articles  which  arrive  by  rail  or  ship.  A  few  of  these 
wagons,  specially  built  for  the  purpose,  are  employed 
in  the  postal  service.  But  of  that  later.  As  a  rule, 
you  see  no  freight  wagons  in  the  city  during  the 
day." 

"  But  the  elevated  roads?  "  I  interposed. 

"  We  need  no  elevated  roads  with  trestles  darken- 
ing the  street.  Our  electric  cars  are,  as  you  see, 
elegantly  built,  conveniently  arranged,  rapid,  and  are 
to  be  had  at  any  time  in  such  numbers,  that  any  one 
wishing  to  ride  can  be  sure  of  a  comfortable  seat. 
There  are  no  carriages,  that  is,  private  carriages. 
One  man  has  as  good  facilities  as  another.  And  if  a 
fool  should  be  born  for  whom  our  city  cars  are  not 
good  enough,  then  he  can  walk." 


IN    THE   STREET  67 

"  To  be  sure,"  I  assented,  "  the  absence  of  elevated 
roads  does  not  lessen  the  beauty  of  the  city.  But 
what  will  you  do  when  the  population  increases  so 
that  the  street  cars  are  absolutely  unable  to  hold  the 
mass  of  people?  " 

The  president  looked  at  me  with  a  smile  of  amuse- 
ment. 

"  That  will  never  be  the  case  in  New  York  or  any- 
where else.  Our  city,  for  instance,  now  has  a  popu- 
lation of  five  millions." 

"  What?  "  I  cried  in  surprise.  "  In  the  year  2000 
New  York  has  only  five  million  inhabitants?  How 
can  that  be?" 

"  It  is  very  simple,  Mr.  Burnham.  As  I  said,  New 
York  has  now  five  million  inhabitants,  and  will  never 
have  any  more.  It  is  not  necessary  that  one  city 
should  grow  to  an  inconvenient  extent,  while  an- 
other, on  account  of  its  small  size  and  insignificant 
population,  does  not  rise  above  the  dignity  of  a  vil- 
lage, and  so  cannot  offer  its  inhabitants  the  advan- 
tages of  a  metropolis.  We  have  no  small  towns. 
Every  small  town,  resort,  and  village  of  your  day 
was  either  given  up,  or  if  its  situation  was  par- 
ticularly favorable,  was  changed  into  a  metropolis. 
Nowadays  you  will  find  nothing  but  cities  with  a 
population  of  at  least  three,  or,  at  the  most,  five  mil- 
lions. There  must  be  not  less  than  three,  nor  more 
than  five  millions." 

"  That  seems  a  rational  plan,"  I  remarked,  "  but 


68  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

how  do  you  bring  it  about?  Your  cities  must  have 
time  to  grow." 

"  No.  Whenever  enough  people  are  actually 
available  to  found  a  city,  a  proper  site  is  chosen, 
thousands  of  persons  go  systematically  to  work  ac- 
cording to  well-considered  plans,  and  in  two  or  three 
years  a  city,  as  beautiful  as  this,  stands  on  what  may 
shortly  before  have  been  a  desert  prairie.  I  know  all 
this  sounds  like  a  fairy  tale,  but  you  shall  see  that 
there  is  no  need  of  witchcraft  to  accomplish  great 
things  in  a  short  time,  with  the  help  of  unity,  speed, 
and  mature  deliberation.  It  is  because  of  this  elab- 
orate planning  for  our  cities,  that  all  men,  in  every 
city,  have  equal  advantages  and  conveniences.  In 
your  time  it  was  only  the  people  of  great  cities  like 
New  York,  Paris,  London,  or  Vienna  who  pretended 
to  enjoy  life.  To-day  one  city  is  just  as  good,  just 
as  beautiful  as  another.  What  you  leave  in  one  you 
find  in  the  next." 

A  train  of  sumptuous  electric  cars  shot  smoothly 
and  noiselessly  past  us  at  this  moment.  My  eyes  fol- 
lowed them  instinctively.  "  So  you  have  cars  like 
this  in  every  street?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  only  in  alternate  streets.  The  next  street, 
for  instance,  which  in  your  day  was  Second  Avenue, 
and  is  now  Lincoln  Avenue,  is  quite  unsuitable  for 
traf^c,  since  we  have  transformed  it  into  a  garden, 
with  arcades,  trees,  flowers,  benches,  and  paths.  We 
are  not  fond  of  spoiling  every  street  with  wagons 


IN    THE   STREET  69 

and  tracks.  And  you  will  see  at  once  that  we  need 
not  do  so.  Every  building  has  four  large  entrances, 
each  is  accessible  on  all  sides,  and  within  you  can  use 
either  the  garden  or  the  colonnade  to  go  from  one 
part  to  another." 

"  This  system  of  street  cars  is  reasonable,"  I  as- 
sented, "  even  if  it  does  involve  a  few  additional  steps. 
But  the  entire  absence  of  carriages  from  your  streets 
will  seem  strange  to  me  for  some  time  yet,  I  fear." 

"  I  said  we  had  no  carriages,"  replied  the  president. 
"  Strictly  speaking,  we  do  have  a  few  electric  state 
coaches,  very  elegant  in  their  appearance,  which  are 
seldom  seen  on  the  streets.  These  are  the  coaches 
which  the  city  or  State  places  at  the  disposal  of  our 
most  highly  honored  citizens,  the  heads  of  city  or 
State,  during  their  term  of  office.  But  the  privilege 
does  not  excite  envy,  as  our  highest  posts  of  honor 
are  within  the  reach  of  every  capable  man  who  is 
called  to  them  by  the  love  of  his  fellow-citizens.  Be- 
sides these  state  coaches,  we  have  simpler  carriages, 
used  to  fetch  doctors  in  cases  of  emergency,  to  re- 
move the  sick,  the  victims  of  accident,  or  the  dead — 
that  is,  for  general  service — and  they  may  be  had  at 
any  hour  of  the  day  or  night." 

"  And  the  telegraph  wires?  "  I  said.  "  Where  are 
they?     I  see  no  poles." 

"  They  are  all  laid  in  underground  passages,  speci- 
ally designed,  and  these  passages  are  so  built  that 
improvements  or  repairs  can  readily  be  made.     In 


70  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

every  underground  tunnel  or  subway,  at  a  street 
crossing  there  are  doors  which  ahow  workmen  en- 
trance to  these  passages  at  any  time,  to  examine  the 
wires,  water  pipes,  or  sewers.  So  it  is  unnecessary 
nowadays  to  tear  up  a  whole  street  whenever  a  pipe 
bursts,  a  wire  is  broken,  or  something  of  the  sort 
happens." 

"  Where  are  your  letter  carriers?  "  I  asked. 

"  We  have  no  letter  carriers  who  go  from  house  to 
house  from  morning  to  night.  Each  city  owns  a 
large  telegraph  and  postal  office.  Here  are  received 
all  letters,  packages,  and  telegrams  intended  for  the 
inhabitants.  The  letters  and  packages  are  sorted, 
tied  in  bundles,  and  delivered  at  the  hotels  once  a 
day,  between  two  and  three  in  the  afternoon,  by  the 
freight  wagons  I  spoke  of.  Each  of  these  wagons 
serves  a  certain  number  of  hotels,  and  delivers  the 
mail  and  newspapers  at  the  same  time.  Do  you  see 
that  little  iron  door  in  the  hotel  wall  near  the  en- 
trance? Well,  behind  that  little  door  is  an  iron  box. 
In  this  box,  from  the  vestibule,  all  the  inmates  of  the 
hotel  deposit  their  letters  and  packages.  Then  when 
the  post  officer  comes  to  deliver  the  mail  he  opens 
the  Httle  door,  takes  out  what  he  finds  inside,  and  re- 
places it  by  the  mail  he  has  brought.  In  this  way  all 
the  inmates  of  the  hotel  receive  their  mail  at  a  uni- 
form hour,  and  the  post  officer  attends  to  the  collec- 
tion and  delivery  at  the  same  time.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  our  letters  require  no  stamps  and  are  not 


IN  THE  STREET  71 

postmarked.  It  is  enough  to  give  name,  city,  street 
and  number  of  house  and  apartment." 

"  What !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Only  one  daily  postal 
delivery?  " 

"  Yes,  only  one.  As  there  are  no  private  enter- 
prises, as  all  business  necessary  for  the  maintenance 
and  convenience  of  mankind  is  under  the  control  of 
one  business  head — that  is,  in  that  of  the  united  people 
of  the  whole  earth — so  the  millions  of  business  letters 
of  your  day  are  not  needed.  If,  for  instance,  the  State 
of  New  York  wants  something  from  India,  or  Austra- 
lia, or  any  other  quarter  of  the  globe,  it  is  ordered, 
not  by  letter,  but  by  telegram.  This  is  simpler  and 
quicker.  States  use  only  the  telegraph  in  their  inter- 
course. Letters  between  private  individuals  are  of  no 
such  urgency  that  an  hour  more  or  less  makes  any 
difference.  Moreover,  I  should  maintain  that  not- 
withstanding our  one  daily  delivery,  people  in  general 
receive  their  mail  more  promptly  now  than  in  your 
day,  as  our  rail  and  steamer  service  is  much  simpler 
and  quicker.  But  if  a  private  individual  has  some- 
thing important  to  communicate — such  as  a  death, 
birth,  or  illness — he  uses  not  the  mail  but  the  tele- 
graph. Our  telegrams  are  delivered  at  every  hour  of 
the  day  or  night,  and  the  messengers  use  the  electric 
street  cars.  But  the  telegraph  is  not  used  between 
points  within  a  city,  as  the  telephone  in  every  hotel 
office  is  at  everybody's  disposal." 

"  Is  telegraphing  cheap?  " 


72  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

"  It  costs  just  as  little  as  the  mail — that  is,  nothing 
at  all." 

"  Nothing  at  all !  "  I  cried.  "  Surely  you  pay  for 
your  clothing,  dwellings,  meals,  conveniences  ?  " 

"  We  pay  for  nothing  whatever." 

"You  pay  for  nothing?  But  you  receive  wages. 
Surely  you  do  not  get  your  wages  and  the  necessaries 
of  life  besides?  " 

Mr.  Donnelly  laughed.  "  That  would  indeed  be 
hardly  consistent.  And  we  believe  ourselves  con- 
sistent in  this  year  2000.  We  receive  no  compensa- 
tion for  our  services,  and  we  pay  nothing  for  our 
needs;  that  is,  we  pay  nothing  in  the  sense  of  your 
day.  We  all  have  duties  and  rights,  and  in  fulfilling 
our  duties  we  secure  our  rights.  It  is  our  duty  to  de- 
vote our  strength,  mental  or  physical,  according  to 
our  best  knowledge,  to  the  good  of  the  whole.  When 
we  do  so  we  fulfil  our  duty,  and  are  entitled  to  what 
is  ours  by  right — which  is,  that  every  one  of  us  shall 
be  able  to  eat,  drink,  sleep,  live,  dress  as  well  as  every 
other,  and  that  amusement  and  opportunity  for  cul- 
ture shall  be  always  at  the  disposal  of  every  one." 

"  Then  you  have  no  money,  or  credit  cards,  or  any- 
thing of  that  sort?  " 

"No.  Why  should  we?  Are  not  credit  cards  the 
same  as  money?  Could  not  as  much  mischief  be 
done  with  one  as  with  the  other?  Thank  God,  we 
have  long  been  free  from  the  delusion  that  mankind 
cannot  exist  without  a  money  standard!      All  the 


ly    THE   STREET  73 

people  of  this  earth  form  one  great  family,  as  it  were. 
This  family  must,  of  course,  see  to  it  that  there  is  al- 
ways enough  of  the  necessaries  of  life  for  every  indi- 
vidual member.  And  so  each  individual  member 
must  engage  in  some  useful  pursuit.  That  these  oc- 
cupations are  regulated  may  be  taken  for  granted, 
and  of  course  they  are.  We  produce  everything  we 
need,  and  when  we  need  a  thing  we  simply  take  it. 
Why  should  we  pay  with  money  for  what  we  have 
ourselves  produced?  Would  it  not  be  folly  to  labor 
to  produce  things  which,  after  all,  we  might  not  get, 
simply  for  want  of  money?  " 

"  Such  were  not  the  conditions  in  my  day,"  I  re- 
marked. 

"  No.  Have  you  forgotten  what  a  part  money 
played  ?  Have  you  forgotten  that  money  was  always 
the  curse  of  mankind?  That  is  what  the  money  stan- 
dard which  created  slaves  and  tyrants?  That  it  was 
money  alone  which  made  the  poor  man  poorer,  and 
the  rich  man  richer?  Have  you  forgotten  that 
money  was  the  parent  of  almost  every  crime?  That 
everything  could  be  had  for  money — honor,  virtue, 
husband,  wife  and  child,  body  and  soul,  heaven  and 
hell  ?  We  may  safely  say  that  nine-tenths  of  all  that 
was  bad  and  despicable  in  men  came  from  the  use  of 
money.  Only  the  complete  abolition  of  it  could  re- 
store to  man  Christian  humaneness." 

He  made  a  noticeable  pause,  then  continued  more 
calmly :   "  You  are  probably  surprised  to  hear  me 


74  THE   DAY    OP    PROSPERITY 

speak  with  so  much  bitterness  about  money.  You 
see,  we  look  back  upon  the  times  when  money  or 
money's  worth  was  the  standard  of  value  with  as 
much  amazement  and  horror  as  you  looked  back  on 
the  Inquisition.  The  crimes  once  committed  for 
money's  sake  can  now  no  longer  occur,  since  the 
motive  is  wanting-.  Nowadays  we  make  no  distinc- 
tion between  our  occupations.  All  the  products  of 
labor  are  equally  necessary  for  our  maintenance  or 
our  convenience,  and,  therefore,  all  labor  is  held  in 
the  same  consideration;  that  is,  estimated  at  the  same 
value." 

"  Then  what  has  become  of  the  laboring  class?  "  I 
inquired. 

"  Every  man  is  a  member  of  that  class,"  returned 
Mr.  Donnelly.  "  But  I  know  what  you  mean.  You 
mean  the  class  called  laborers  in  your  day;  those 
wretched  creatures  whom  the  iron  scourge  of  hunger 
and  want  drove  half  sleeping  from  their  beds  at  five 
or  six  every  morning,  ill-clad  and  filthy,  to  be  herded 
in  so-called  workshops,  unwholesome  and  squalid 
holes,  there  to  slave  for  ten,  twelve,  or  even  fourteen 
hours  for  miserable  wages,  and  to  exhaust  their  blood 
and  marrow  in  futile  toil.  Late  at  night,  broken  in 
body  and  dead  in  spirit,  they  tottered  to  their  homes, 
swallowed  a  meagre  and  ill-prepared  meal,  and  finally 
threw  themselves  upon  hard  and  unclean  beds  for  a 
brief  rest.  In  the  morning  again,  unrefreshed  and 
unstrengthened,  they  returned  to  their  accursed  toil, 


IN    THE    STREET  75 

SO  to  continue,  day  after  day,  year  after  year,  until 
finally  rest  came  in  an  untimely  grave." 

"  Not  an  inaccurate  picture,"  I  assented.  "  And 
such  labor  was  held  to  involve  some  disgrace  in  the 
laborer.  He  did  not  much  appeal  to  our  sympathies, 
and  we  were  not  disposed  to  take  upon  ourselves  any 
serious  responsibility  for  bettering  his  condition." 

''  True,"  returned  President  Donnelly.  "  Such  la- 
bor did  involve  disgrace.  Such  work  was  not  only 
a  disgrace,  but  a  crime  and  a  curse — the  disgrace  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  a  crime  committed  by  the 
wealthy  upon  the  poor,  and  a  curse  to  the  laboring 
class.  And  when  we  inquire  what  wages  these  liv- 
ing machines  received,  the  true  answer  must  be,  life- 
long hunger,  care,  distress,  and  deprivation.  What 
pleasures  were  provided  for  them?  A  few  could 
drink  themselves  tipsy  with  their  hard-earned  cash, 
and  ill-use  their  wives  and  children.  Or  now  and 
then  they  were  allowed  a  strike,  to  be  driven  back, 
later,  with  broken  heads  into  the  same  old  servitude." 

"  And  what  are  to-day's  conditions?  "  I  asked. 

"  To-day  every  man  who  has  passed  his  twentieth 
year  works,  for  the  common  good,  nine  months  an- 
nually, four  hours  each  day.  That  is  what  he  must 
do.  But  I  can  show  you  that  almost  every  man  does 
more,  and  voluntarily  works  several  hours  daily  in 
addition.  Indeed,  some  work  ten  or  twelve  hours, 
or  even  more  than  that.  But  it  is  not  required. 
Every  one,  however,  usually,  does  his  best  in  an  effort 


76  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

to  distinguish  himself  above  his  fellows,  or  at  least 
to  earn  his  rights  by  a  generous  fulfilment  of  his 
duties." 

"  But  one  would  think  that  in  case  of  manual  labor 
many  men  would  shrink  from  the  necessarily  unclean 
surroundings.  We  can  hardly  keep  ourselves  neat 
in  a  factory,  even  if  we  are  convinced  of  the  dignity 
of  the  labor  that  is  performed  there." 

"  But  we  do  keep  ourselves  neat.  We  go  to  our 
work  in  clean  clothes,  no  matter  how  dirty  the  work 
may  be.  Every  one  finds  in  the  factory,  or  wherever 
he  works,  a  working  suit.  When  he  has  finished  his 
four  hours'  work  he  may  take  a  bath,  hot  or  cold. 
He  then  puts  on  his  street  clothes,  and  goes  home  as 
clean  as  he  came.  We  do  not  regard  baths  as  a  lux- 
ury, but  as  a  necessity  of  human  existence,  and  you 
will  find  bathing  facilities  wherever  there  are  men. 
We  consider  cleanliness  of  the  body  in  the  same  light 
as  purity  of  soul.  We  cannot  imagine  one  without 
the  other.  Later  we  will  speak  more  in  detail  of  our 
factory  life." 

"  Your  principles  of  cleanliness  evidently  extend  to 
your  streets.  They  look  as  spotless  as  the  fioor  of 
a  drawing-room." 

"  Yes;  in  the  first  place,  we  allow  no  one  to  soil  our 
streets.  You  will  seldom  see  any  horses,  dogs,  or 
other  animals,  as  we  do  not  need  them  in  our  metro- 
politan cities.  Electricity  has  made  horses  super- 
fluous, and  the  few  used  for  hunting  or  in  theatres 


IN    THE    STREET  77 

and  circuses  are  kept  on  farms  out  of  town.  Just  so 
with  the  dogs.  Since,  as  you  will  see,  robbery  and 
stealing  have  gone  out  of  fashion,  we  do  not  require 
watchdogs,  and  to  keep  dogs  as  a  pastime,  as  was 
customary  with  people  of  your  day — especially  ladies 
— we  should  consider  absurd.  If  our  men  need 
amusement  for  their  leisure  hours,  they  find  it  in 
books,  sciences,  nature,  the  theatre.  And  our 
women  ?  They  find  their  entertainment  in  the  educa- 
tion of  the  children,  the  care  of  the  sick,  the  superin- 
tendence of  housekeeping,  in  the  study  and  teaching 
of  arts  and  sciences,  and  many  other  pursuits.  I 
hardly  think  you  could  find  among  our  women  a 
single  one  who  does  not  know  how  to  amuse  herself. 
But  I  am  digressing.  As  I  said,  we  allow  no  one  to 
soil  our  streets.  There  are  no  private  business  firms, 
and  you  will  find  that  our  factory  and  business  quar- 
ters are  as  clean  as  this  street.  If  any  one  wishes  to 
throw  away  a  paper  he  throws  it,  not  into  the  street, 
but  into  one  of  the  little  baskets  which  you  see  placed 
at  regular  intervals  under  the  trees.  But  if  some  ill- 
bred  person  should  throw  something  on  the  path,  you 
may  be  sure  the  first  lady  he  meets  will  take  him  to 
task  and  ask  him  to  pick  it  up  and  throw  it  where  it 
belongs." 

"  When  are  the  streets  cleaned?  "  I  asked. 

"  Between  five  and  six  in  the  morning.  As  you 
see,  there  are  hydrants  at  every  hotel.  Every  morn- 
ing at  five,  if  it  does  not  rain,  hose  are  screwed  to 


78  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

these  hydrants  and  the  streets  are  watered.  Large 
electric  street  sweepers  then  pass  and  sweep  the  dirt 
to  the  pavements,  whence  it  is  thrown  into  the  sewer 
openings,  which  in  the  daytime  are  closed.  Quickly 
running  water  carries  this  refuse  through  large  tun- 
nels under  the  street,  outside  the  city  to  the  fields." 

"  You  have  fewer  police  of^cers  than  we  had,"  I 
remarked.  "  I  have  not  seen  one  so  far  this  morn- 
ing." 

"  On  the  contrary,  we  have  far  more  than  you  had. 
Every  man  who  has  passed  his  twentieth  year  has 
not  only  the  right,  but  the  duty  to  watch  over  the 
welfare  of  the  city  and  his  fellow-citizens,  to  prevent 
mischief,  and  arrest  evildoers.  You  may  imagine, 
therefore,  that  we  possess  the  best,  most  numerous, 
and  most  trustworthy  police  force  that  has  ever  ex- 
isted. But,  thank  God,  it  is  seldom  that  one  of  us 
is  obliged  to  fulfil  his  duty  as  a  police  officer !  Though 
I  am  aware  the  assertion  sounds  incredible  to  you 
now,  since  you  come  from  a  time  when  more  crime 
was  committed  in  one  day  than  at  present  in  ten 
years.     But  we  will  discuss  that  chapter  later." 

He  paused  and  added,  good-naturedly :  "  Well,  are 
there  any  more  questions?  " 

"  A  thousand,  Mr.  Donnelly,"  I  replied  quickly. 

He  laughed  and  rose.  "  In  that  case,  I  am  afraid 
we  must  postpone  them,  for  if  your  appetite  is  satis- 
fied with  pure  air,  mine  is  not.  It  is  nearly  nine 
o'clock." 


JN    THE    STREET  79 

I  had  quite  forgotten  breakfast,  so  engrossed  was 
I  by  the  novehy  of  my  surroundings.  But  his  words 
roused  me  to  a  consciousness  that  I  was  hungry  and 
a  trifle  faint,  so,  with  a  sigh  of  regret  at  the  enforced 
interruption,  I  rose  from  the  bench  and  followed  my 
friend,  who  walked  on  quickly. 

We  approached  one  of  the  tunnels  that  served  as 
a  street  crossing,  descended  the  steps,  traversed  the 
passage,  so  lit  by  electricity  that  it  was  as  bright  as 
day,  ascended  to  the  surface  at  the  other  end,  and 
turned  toward  the  magnificent  entrance  gate  of  the 
great  building  which  my  guide  had  indicated  to  me 
as  his  hotel. 


IV 


AT   BREAKFAST 


Rapidly  I  was  led  through  the  splendid  entrance 
hall  directly  into  the  interior  of  the  colossal  building. 
There  I  paused  in  amazement,  unable  to  grasp  at  a 
glance  all  the  sumptuous  arrangements  which  lay  be- 
fore my  eyes.  Marble  steps  and  columns,  statues, 
luxurious  carpets,  rich  wall  decorations,  gold-framed 
mirrors,  rare  pictures,  wood  and  ivory  carvings, 
proud  palms,  and  fragrant  flowers  greeted  me  on 
every  hand. 

And  the  people,  who  passed  and  repassed  in  endless 
streams,  surely  they  were  not  ordinary,  everyday 
mortals  like  those  I  had  been  accustomed  to  meet. 
They  seemed  a  different  race — proud,  glorious  men 
and  women,  conscious  of  their  strength,  accustomed 
to  a  lavish  enjoyment  of  the  good  things  of  this  life, 
knowing  nothing  of  hunger,  care,  sorrow,  or  priva- 
tion except  by  hearsay. 

What  was  the  secret  of  it  ?  What  made  them  what 
they  were  ?  The  answer  I  soon  found.  The  men  felt 
themselves  to  be  men.  Each  bore  in  his  breast  the 
lofty  consciousness  that  he,  too,  had  his  share  in  the 
beauty  and  inexhaustible  wealth  of  this  earth.     And 


AT   BREAKFAST  81 

the  longer  I  studied  their  pleasant,  contented  faces, 
their  clear  eyes,  the  more  evident  it  became  that  these 
people  were  strangers  to  the  petty  sufferings  under 
which  my  contemporaries  had  groaned. 

Suddenly  there  rose  before  my  mental  vision  a 
spectre  of  bygone  days,  a  panorama  of  suffering,  mis- 
ery, despair,  "  the  people  "  of  my  time,  care-laden, 
grief-stricken,  hungry  men  and  women,  children 
w^rinkled,  precocious,  dirty,  with  brows  furrowed, 
cheeks  paled,  and  souls  poisoned  by  early  sin  and 
care.  And,  as  a  background  to  this  group,  a  long 
vista  of  factories,  tenement  houses,  prisons,  brothels, 
liquor  saloons,  insane  asylums,  and  almshouses. 

But  quickly  as  the  picture  rose,  it  passed  as  quickly. 
Without  having  marked  our  progress,  I  found  that 
w^e  had  entered  a  large  hall,  throughout  which 
sounded  subdued  music,  while  along  its  entire  space 
lay  daintily  set,  flower-decked  tables,  at  which  sat 
men,  women,  and  children  eating  and  drinking. 

"  This  is  our  dining-room,"  remarked  the  presi- 
dent, pausing.     "  And  here  is  Mrs.  Donnelly !  " 

The  amiable  woman's  face  beamed  upon  me  as  she 
advanced,  and  taking  my  extended  hand  pressed  it 
warmly. 

"  There  is  no  need  to  present  us,  Charles.  I  have 
known  Mr.  Burnham  for  a  long  time,  and  he  must 
soon  learn  to  know  me." 

"  You  are  only  too  good,  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I  said, 


82  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

"  and  I  want  to  thank  you  with  all  my  heart  for  the 
kindness  you  have  shown  me." 

"  It  is  not  worth  mentioning,"  she  replied,  with  a 
faint  blush.  "  You  did  nothing  but  sleep,  and  I  could 
only  give  my  husband  the  linen  and  clothing  you 
needed,  and  bring  you  a  little  broth  when  you  woke. 
All  that  was  nothing.  But  come  to  breakfast — you 
must  be  famished." 

So  conversing,  we  proceeded  to  one  of  the  nearest 
of  the  unoccupied  tables.  There  Mr.  Donnelly  di- 
vested himself  of  his  coat,  which  he  hung,  with  his 
hat,  in  a  space  provided  at  the  high  back  of  the  chair. 
I  followed  his  example  somewhat  timidly,  fearing  to 
disturb  the  chair's  equilibrium. 

"  Don't  be  afraid,"  he  said.  "  It  will  not  tip  over. 
There  is  lead  enough  in  the  front  legs  to  balance  ten 
times  the  weight.  But  we  have  a  coat  room  at  the 
end  of  the  hall  if  you  care  to  use  it,  though  I  find  it 
more  convenient  to  keep  my  hat  and  coat  near  me." 

A  pretty  girl  of  about  nineteen  approached  our 
table.  She  was  dressed  exactly  like  the  girls  I  had 
seen  in  the  university,  except  that  in  addition  she 
wore  a  white  apron. 

"  Good-morning,"  she  said  pleasantly.  "  What 
will  you  have  for  breakfast?  " 

"  Good-morning,  Anna,"  replied  Mrs.  Donnelly. 
"  The  usual  breakfast,  I  think." 

And  the  pretty  waitress  disappeared.  I  looked 
after  her  in  astonishment. 

"  I  hope  you  don't  mind  my  ordering  without  con- 


AT   BREAKFAST  83 

suiting  you,  Mr.  Burnham,"  explained  my  hostess, 
"  but  I  thought  you  might  prefer  it,  as  it  is  your  first 
breakfast  with  us." 

*'  By  all  means.  It  saves  me  much  trouble,"  I  re- 
plied, somewhat  absently.  I  was  beginning  to  feel  a 
trifle  uncomfortable  at  the  dawning  consciousness 
that  I  was  breakfasting  in  my  shirt  sleeves.  At  least 
the  ease  and  freedom  of  my  body  and  arms  gave  me 
that  sensation,  though  when  I  looked  down  at  my 
immaculate  cambric  shirt,  cut  full  and  pleated,  I  was 
aware  that  no  intelligent  observer  would  have  re- 
ceived that  impression.  Indeed,  the  cool,  white  body- 
clothing  of  the  men,  relieved  by  the  touch  of  color 
at  the  throat,  was  grateful  to  the  eye,  and  lent  an  air 
of  animation  to  the  assemblage  within  the  room. 

Our  waitress  now  returned,  bearing  a  dainty  silver 
tray,  upon  which  rested  a  coffeepot  and  dishes  of 
silver.  Deftly  she  placed  her  burden  upon  a  stand 
behind  us,  went  quickly  to  the  marble  wall,  opened 
a  little  door,  and  took  out  plates,  cups,  knives,  forks, 
and  spoons,  and  rapidly  spread  them  before  us.  Then 
she  marshalled  the  things  from  the  tray — a  plate  of 
delicate  fruit,  with  eggs,  bread,  butter,  honey,  cofifee, 
milk,  and  cheese.  Truly,  this  waitress  was  a  marvel 
of  dexterity.     When  I  looked  for  her  she  was  gone. 

"  So  this  is  the  ordinary  breakfast,  is  it,  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly?" I  remarked,  as  I  prepared  to  attack  the  eat- 
ables in  front  of  me.  "  I  must  say  that  I  regard  it 
as  a  very  abundant  one." 


84  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  Abundant?  When  the  whole  fruitful,  inexhaust- 
ible earth  is  at  our  disposal,  with  its  air,  water,  lands, 
and  woods,  which,  with  but  little  trouble  on  our  part, 
produce  much  more  than  we  need  for  our  support?  " 

"  I  call  it  abundant.  Certainly  in  my  day  only  the 
better  class  could  have  afforded  it." 

"  Unfortunately,  that  was  so,"  observed  Mr.  Don- 
nelly. "  The  people  who  worked  longest  and  hard- 
est had  the  worst  and  the  least  to  eat,  while  the  idlest 
of  your  population  spent  time  and  money  in  discover- 
ing new  dishes  to  stimulate  their  jaded  palates.  Hap- 
pily, that  time  is  past.  What  one  receives  every  other 
may  also  have." 

"  But  surely,"  I  said,  "  there  must  be  many  things 
which  are  not  produced  in  sufficient  quantities  to  sup- 
ply the  whole  population.   For  instance,  champagne." 

"  You  are  right.  Real  champagne  must  always  be 
too  scarce  to  be  placed  at  every  one's  disposal.  But 
tell  me,  did  all  the  people  of  your  time  drink  cham- 
pagne ?  Were  there  not  thousands  who  did  not  know 
what  it  looked  like — had  never  heard  the  word?  " 

To  this  question  I  replied  by  an  affirmative  nod  as 
I  laid  down  my  coffee  cup.  And  I  was  about  to  make 
some  further  observation  on  the  subject  when,  rais- 
ing my  glance  from  our  own  table,  I  found  myself 
gazing  directly  into  the  dark  eyes  of  a  most  fascinat- 
ing young  person  who  sat  facing  me  at  two  tables' 
distance. 

She  was  seated  somewhat  carelessly,  one  elbow 


AT   BREAKFAST  85 

resting  on  the  table,  occasionally  taking  a  sip  of  cof- 
fee, but  for  the  most  part  conversing  with  consider- 
able animation  with  her  two  companions  at  her  left 
and  right.  She  was  small,  graceful  I  was  sure.  Her 
hair  was  dark  and  rose  from  her  forehead  in  soft 
masses.  Her  dark  lashes  were  long,  and  when  she 
lowered  them  they  lay  like  purple  Hnes  against  her 
cheek.  Her  nose,  the  most  piquant  little  nose  imag- 
inable, suited  well  with  the  full  and  youthful  contour 
of  her  face.  And  her  mouth — the  most  adorable 
mouth — lips  brilliant  red,  yet  fine  and  nervous,  parted 
in  an  expression  half  coquetry,  half  raillery,  and  an 
agreeable  background  of  white  teeth.  A  smiling, 
provoking  face,  yet  one  in  which,  when  you  once 
withstood — if  you  could  withstand — the  fascination 
of  the  lips  and  the  glamour  of  the  eyes,  you  saw  evi- 
dence of  a  clear  and  active  mind,  a  determined  little 
will,  and  a  quick  perception  of  the  foibles  as  well  as 
the  virtues  of  those  who  came  within  its  vision. 

Opposite  her,  and  back  to  me,  sat  another  young 
woman,  whom  I  could  see  only  well  enough  to  make 
out  that  she  looked  agreeable  and  wore  eyeglasses. 
The  third  of  the  group  sat  in  profile,  a  blond  girl 
with  regular  and  pleasant  features.  I  should  have 
called  her  Scotch  by  birth, 

I  judged  that  all  three  girls  had  been  discussing 
me;  something  in  their  attitude  and  manner  told  me 
so.  And  when  my  eyes  met  those  of  the  young  per- 
son I  have  described  at  length,  she  did  not  at  once 


86  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

turn  hers  away — perhaps  it  would  have  seemed  pru- 
dery— nor  did  the  smile  quite  leave  her  lips,  but 
gradually,  without  hurry,  she  lowered  her  glance, 
turned  to  her  companions,  and  resumed  her  inter- 
rupted conversation. 

Meanwhile  President  Donnelly  was  saying:  "I 
know  what  you  are  about  to  ask,  Mr.  Burnham.  You 
will  ask,  where  is  the  equality  if  all  cannot  share 
everything  alike?  Such  cases  we  manage  very  simply. 
The  yearly  product  of  champagne,  for  instance,  is 
stored  up  in  Paris  in  the  state  warehouses.  The  lat- 
ter send  out  a  certain  number  of  bottles  to  the  other 
state  warehouses  of  the  whole  civilized  world,  and  the 
latter  again  provide  their  subordinate  city  warehouses 
-with  the  quantity  which  belongs  to  them  by  right. 
These  city  warehouses  do  not  distribute  the  bottles 
for  ordinary  use,  but  keep  them  for  special  occasions. 
Newly  elected  presidents,  cabinet  officers,  or  direc- 
tors, and  individuals  who  have  distinguished  them- 
selves in  art  or  science  are  honored  by  the  presenta- 
tion of  champagne.  Thus  we  act  with  all  rare  articles. 
The  choice  of  mankind  enjoy  choice  things." 

"  There  are  other  wines,"  added  Mrs.  Donnelly,  as 
her  husband  paused,  "  wines  not  so  rare  as  cham- 
pagne, but  not  plenty  enough  for  daily  use.  Such 
wines  are  served  at  weddings.  The  stewardess  of  the 
hotel  where  the  wedding  is  to  take  place  gets  them 
from  the  city  warehouse.  Besides,  we  use  better 
wines  on  Sundays  and  holidays  than  on  week  days." 


AT   BREAKFAST  87 

I  made  no  comment  at  this  point,  and  doubtless  ap- 
peared somewhat  distrait,  for  Mrs.  Donnelly,  looking 
up  and  following-  the  direction  of  my  gaze,  cried  sud- 
denly :  "  Why,  there  is  Pauline !  I  am  afraid  she 
doesn't  see  us.  Ah,  yes,  she  does !  How  do  you  do? 
How  do  you  do?"  And  the  most  cordial  of  nods 
and  smiles  were  exchanged  between  the  two  tables. 

"  A  charming  girl,"  said  Mrs.  Donnelly;  "  my  hus- 
band's niece,  Pauline  Donnelly.  I  hope  you  will  see 
a  great  deal  of  her.  She  feels  as  if  she  knew  you  al- 
ready. No  doubt  they  were  talking  about  you.  I 
hope  you  didn't  think  they  were  trying  to  flirt." 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I  repHed,  "  the  word 
*  flirt '  has  a  not  unfamiliar  sound,  but  I  am  surprised 
to  hear  you  use  it.  I  had  supposed  it  long  since  obso- 
lete." 

"  The  word  is  not  yet  obsolete,"  remarked  the 
president.  "  In  fact,  I  fear  it  may  remain  in  the  lan- 
guage a  few  years  longer." 

"  Please  don't  let  Mr.  Burnham  think  our  girls  flirt, 
Charles,"  protested  the  lady  earnestly.  "  You  know 
they  do  not." 

"  Of  course  they  do  not,  my  dear,"  returned  the 
president.  "  They  never  do.  But  a  little  coquetry 
has  been  known  to  form  part  of  the  feminine  equip- 
ment, and  I  see  nothing  essentially  wrong  in  it.  Mr. 
Burnham  need  not  yet  entirely  discard  the  wisdom 
which  his  experience  of  a  hundred  or  so  years  ago 
has,  doubtless,  taught  him." 


88  TEE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  acquire  new  experience,"  I  re- 
marked. "  Miss  Donnelly  appears  to  be  a  most 
charming  girl.  But  you  have  finished  your  break- 
fast. I  am  afraid  I  have  been  very  slow.  I  am  quite 
ready." 

"  No,  indeed,  Mr.  Burnham,"  said  my  hostess. 
"  We  are  in  no  hurry.     Do  take  something  more." 

I  glanced  in  the  direction  of  our  three  neighbors, 
who  some  moments  before  had  seemed  to  have  fin- 
ished their  meal.  Two  of  them  had  evidently  done 
so,  but  Miss  Pauline  Donnelly,  with  downcast  eyes 
and  an  enigmatic  smile,  was  just  helping  herself  to 
more  cofifee. 

"  You  are  very  good,  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I  answered. 
"  With  your  permission,  I  will  take  some  cofifee." 
And  I  extended  my  cup.  "  This  division  of  rare 
goods,"  I  continued,  "  I  think  very  just  and  simple, 
but  how  do  you  regulate  drinking  in  general  ?  " 

"  Every  man  may  drink  beer  or  wine  in  modera- 
tion," replied  the  president,  "  provided  he  either  is 
married  or  has  passed  his  twentieth  year." 

"  Is  a  certain  quantity  fixed  by  law?  " 

"  No,  although  in  general  it  is  assumed  that  a 
bottle  of  beer  or  a  glass  of  wine  is  enough.  But  we 
do  not  prescribe  how  much  a  man  may  drink,  so  long 
as  he  remains  within  the  limits  of  decency.  If  he  be- 
comes intoxicated,  then  he  is  treated  accordingly." 

"  Do  such  cases  often  occur?  " 


AT   BREAKFAST  89 

"  It  is  very  seldom  that  any  one  so  far  forgets  his 
human  dignity." 

"  How  do  you  treat  such  a  case?  " 

"  Very  simply.  After  the  offender  has  received  a 
reprimand  from  the  stewardess  of  his  hotel,  a  fixed 
quantity  is  appointed,  which  he  may  not  exceed  in  his 
hotel.  But  if  he  manages  to  get  liquors  elsewhere 
and  to  become  intoxicated  again,  then  he  is  brought 
before  the  court,  which  usually  deprives  him  entirely 
of  the  right  of  drinking  for  a  certain  length  of  time. 
If  even  this  does  not  cure  him,  and  he  is  found  drunk 
a  third  time,  he  is  condemned  to  a  ten  hours'  day  of 
forced  labor  for  a  shorter  or  longer  period." 

"  I  am  sure,  Charles,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Donnelly, 
"  that  when  you  named  a  glass  of  wine  or  a  bottle  of 
beer  as  one  person's  usual  allowance,  you  had  the  men 
chiefly  in  mind.  You  know  women  seldom  drink,  or 
at  the  most  a  glass  of  beer  or  a  little  glass  of  wine. 
Why,  Mr.  Burnham,  I  have  tasted  wine  only  twice 
in  my  whole  life — once  when  I  was  married,  and  once 
when  I  was  lucky  enough  to  publish  a  book  which 
brought  me  a  box  of  wine  as  a  gift  of  honor." 

"  The  communal  life  in  our  great  hotels,"  observed 
the  president,  "  where  every  one  lives,  as  it  were, 
under  the  eyes  of  every  one  else,  as  also  the  entire 
absence  in  our  cities  of  the  many  little  drinking 
places  such  as  were  to  be  found  at  every  street  corner 
in  your  day,  naturally  make  it  difficult  for  any  one  to 
drink  to  excess.     But  the  most  powerful  preventive 


90  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

of  intoxication  is  the  education  which  we  bestow 
upon  our  youth.  Of  course,  those  people  whose 
business  brings  them  in  contact  with  beer  or  wine  are 
most  exposed  to  the  danger  of  finding  pleasure  in 
drinking.  We  usually  nip  such  an  inclination  in  the 
bud  by  assigning  the  individual  to  another  occupa- 
tion. Strong  alcoholic  drinks  in  any  form  can  only 
be  had  on  a  doctor's  prescription,  and  of  course  we 
produce  only  the  best  and  purest  for  that  purpose. 
But  every  kind  of  harmless  beverage  is  at  any  one's 
disposal  at  any  time." 

"  But  our  education  is  the  main  thing,"  said  Mrs. 
Donnelly.  "  That  is  the  secret  of  the  character  which 
our  people  possess." 

"  Our  children,"  the  president  continued,  "  are  In 
their  parents'  hands  until  the  completion  of  their  four- 
teenth year.  Meanwhile,  they  attend  the  public 
schools  from  the  age  of  five.  Upon  passing  their 
fourteenth  year  they  are  handed  over  to  the  higher 
educational  institutions,  in  which  they  remain,  in  case 
they  do  not  marry,  until  the  completion  of  the  twen- 
tieth. With  each  of  these  institutions  is  connected 
a  pupils'  hotel,  in  which  the  students  live.  You  no- 
ticed yesterday  that  all  our  students  dress  ahke,  and 
that  they  wear  marks  on  their  shoulders  which  indi- 
cate their  school  and  course.  This  clothing  is  sup- 
plied by  the  school  authorities.  Girls  marry  now  and 
then  before  they  have  passed  twenty.  In  such  a  case 
they  leave  school  to  enter  their  own  homes.     Thus 


AT    BREAKFAST  91 

the  student  dress  protects  the  student  against  the 
temptation  to  drink.  Besides,  there  are  no  spirituous 
liquors  in  the  students'  hotels." 

By  the  time  the  president  had  finished  these  re- 
marks I  had  consumed  my  coffee,  and  looked  again 
toward  the  table  at  which  Miss  Donnelly  sat.  The 
conversation  of  that  young  lady  seemed  for  the  mo- 
ment to  have  flagged,  and  I  fancied  that  between  her 
lowered  lashes  she  observed  my  glance.  At  any  rate, 
she  drew  toward  her  the  dish  of  fruit  and  deliberately 
selected  an  apple,  which  she  prepared  to  cut.  I  scru- 
tinized the  fruit  dish  which  lay  upon  our  table,  picked 
out  a  red  apple  of  stupendous  size,  laid  it  on  my  plate, 
and  cut  it  in  two.  Miss  Donnelly,  with  a  half  smile, 
laid  down  her  own  apple  untasted  and  rose  from  the 
table,  an  example  which  her  two  companions  fol- 
lowed.    I  turned  to  Mrs.  Donnelly. 

"  Your  breakfasts  are  very  tempting,  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly, but  I  really  must  not  indulge  my  appetite  too 
much.  I  know  I  have  kept  you  too  long  already.  I 
am  quite  through." 

She  rose.  The  president  and  I  did  likewise,  and 
donned  our  coats.  The  three  young  ladies  I  ob- 
served were  moving  rapidly  toward  the  door.  Our 
group  started  promptly,  and  a  little  unceremonious 
haste  on  my  part  effected  a  confluence  of  the  two 
streams  at  a  point  not  far  from  the  exit.  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly greeted  the  younger  woman  warmly  and  called 
me  to  her. 


92  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

"  Mr.  Burnham,  I  want  to  present  you  to  my  niece, 
Miss  Pauline  Donnelly,  and  to  Miss  Roberts  " — the 
pleasant  girl  with  the  eyeglasses — '*  and  Miss  Evans  " 
— the  blond  girl  who  looked  Scotch. 

"  Miss  Donnelly,"  I  said,  "  your  uncle  has  been 
good  enough  to  instruct  me  during  breakfast  as  to 
some  of  the  customs  of  the  society  I  find  myself 
among." 

"  I  have  no  doubt,"  she  replied,  "  that  his  remarks 
engrossed  all  your  attention.  What  was  the  subject 
of  them?" 

"  The  consumption  of  wine  and  beer,  and  the  pen- 
alties for  intoxication." 

"  One  cannot  begin  to  acquire  useful  information 
too  early.  Has  he  left  you  any  of  your  pet  in- 
dulgences? " 

"  I  see  no  form  of  dissipation  open  to  me  except 
tobacco." 

"  Dear  me,  Mr.  Burnham,  how  amusing !  Why, 
no  one  uses  tobacco  now.  It  is  generations  since  any 
one  has  smoked." 

"  I  can  remember  when  I  was  a  girl,"  interposed 
Mrs.  Donnelly,  "  some  elderly  people  who  smoked, 
and  some  who  took  snuflf." 

"  But  not  many,"  added  the  president.  "  The  prac- 
tice gradually  died  out.  The  women  were  opposed 
to  it,  and  by  degrees  it  was  forbidden.  When  we 
married  we  made  the  usual  mutual  promises  to  avoid 


AT    BREAKFAST  93 

tobacco  and  intoxicants.  The  State  has  long  since 
given  up  its  tobacco  factories." 

"  How  do  you  like  our  dining-room,  Mr.  Burn- 
ham?"  Miss  Donnelly  inquired. 

"  I  thought  it  contained  remarkably  attractive 
features,"  I  answered.  "  Tell  me,  what  is  the  pur- 
pose of  that  great  horseshoe-shaped  table  which  fills 
the  centre  of  the  hall?  " 

"  That  is  used  every  noon  and  night  when  we  are 
all  here  about  the  same  time.  In  the  morning  we 
generally  use  the  small  tables,  which  seat  six." 

"  You  must  not  judge  our  resources  by  your  simple 
breakfast  of  this  morning,  Mr.  Burnham,"  put  in  Mrs. 
Donnelly.  "  Within  a  week  you  will  be  able  to  judge 
of  the  abundance  and  excellence  of  our  fare.  We 
have  many  more  foods  to  choose  from  than  had  the 
people  of  your  day.  Indeed,  I  fancy  the  richest  of 
you  could  not  always  get  what  you  wanted.  We  treat 
as  sciences  not  only  agriculture  but  the  raising  of 
cattle,  fowl,  fish,  and  fruit,  and  whatever  the  earth 
can  produce  is  always  at  our  disposal." 

"  But  those  gold  and  silver  dishes  on  the  great 
table,"  I  exclaimed,  "  the  rare  china,  the  beautiful 
wood  carving  on  tables,  chairs,  and  walls,  the  pictures, 
tapestries  and  mirrors — it  all  seems  so  unusual !  " 

"  It  is  not  unusual,"  she  replied  simply.  "  We  are 
accustomed  to  it." 

"  What  I  enjoy  most."  said  Miss  Donnelly,  "  is  the 
orchestrion.     Of  course,  the  music  it  is  playing  now 


94  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

is  pleasant  and  subdued,  but  wait  until  you  hear  it  in 
the  evening.  Then  you  get  the  full  effect.  I  some- 
times close  my  eyes  when  it  is  playing  part  of  an 
opera,  for  instance,  and  imagine  myself  in  the  opera 
house,  the  solo  voices  as  well  as  the  orchestra  are 
reproduced  so  exactly." 

We  turned  and  moved  toward  the  door. 

"  You  see  this  little  serving-room,  Mr.  Burnham," 
said  Mrs.  Donnelly,  as  she  pushed  aside  the  leaves  of  a 
palm  and  showed  me  a  large  recess  hidden  by  carved 
fretwork  and  by  plants  and  fountains.  "  The  electric 
elevators  run  between  it  and  the  kitchen,  and  carry 
food  and  dishes.  Those  pneumatic  tubes  beside  the 
elevators  are  used  to  send  down  the  slips  of  paper 
on  which  the  waiters  write  the  orders." 

Some  men  entered  the  dining-room  carrying  their 
coats  upon  their  arms.  I  could  not  repress  a  smile 
as  they  passed. 

"What  is  it,  Mr.  Burnham?  "  asked  the  president 
good-naturedly. 

"  It  occurred  to  me  that  in  my  day  it  would  have 
seemed  rather  unusual  to  see  a  man  in  public  without 
his  coat." 

*'  In  your  day,  yes,"  replied  Mrs.  Donnelly,  with 
some  feeling.  "  But  it  was  not  unusual  in  your  day 
to  see  women  worse  than  coatless  in  public,  wearing 
gowns  that  did  not  even  cover  them.  I  might  men- 
tion a  hundred  other  instances  where  you  confounded 
what  was  right  with  what  was  merely  conventional. 


AT   BREAKFAST  95 

Nowadays,  whatever  is  essentially  right,  we  treat  as 
right ;  there  is  no  conventional  standard  which  makes 
right  that  which  is  essentially  wrong." 

"  We  women  speak  our  minds,  you  see,  Mr.  Burn- 
ham,"  added  Miss  Donnelly.  "  And  we  have  com- 
pletely annihilated  all  your  old-world  standards  and 
false  ideas,  haven't  we.  Aunt  Harriet?  " 

"  Yes,  my  dear.  I  dare  say  we  differ  widely  enough 
from  our  sisters  of  the  year  1900.  We  are  strangers 
to  the  petty  lies  and  hypocrisies  that  were  taught  and 
practised  in  those  days.  What  our  mind  thinks,  what 
our  heart  feels,  that  our  tongue  must  speak.  Such 
is  our  education." 

"  What  our  mind  thinks?"  repeated  the  vivacious 
younger  woman.  "  Yes,  generally.  What  our  heart 
feels?  I  hope  not,  always.  But  I  know  what  you 
mean,  Aunt.  You  mean  that  we  are  sincere,  and  that 
we  love  truth  and  right.     Yes,  I  think  we  do." 


V 

THE   REALM    OF   WOMAN 

"  You  may  expect,  Mr.  Burnham,"  continued  Miss 
Donnelly,  as  we  passed  out  of  the  dining-room  and 
turned  into  the  colonnade,  "  to  be  the  object  of  con- 
siderable attention  from  us  for  some  time.  It  is  as 
if  the  efifigy  of  some  armored  knight  had  stepped 
down  among  us  from  his  chapel  niche.  We  regard 
you  as  a  living  relic  of  medisevalism,  and  you  must  be 
content  to  pose  for  the  present  as  a  mere  archaeologi- 
cal specimen." 

"  As  such,"  I  replied,  "  I  shall  be  happy  to  advance 
the  cause  of  science  by  presenting  myself  for  your 
frequent  inspection." 

"  I  am  not  sure  how  necessary  that  will  be,"  she 
rejoined.  "  An  examination  of  a  few  minutes  is 
enough  in  the  case  of  most  specimens." 

"  But  consider  that  you  have  never  before  had  an 
opportunity  of  consulting  the  wishes  of  the  specimens 
themselves.  I  am  sure  they  would  have  desired  the 
observation  to  be  as  extended  as  possible." 

"  We  have  known  each  other  for  almost  half  an 
hour  already,  Mr.  Burnham." 

"  Surely  not  so  long.     But  where  are  we  going 


THE    REALM    OF    ^YOMAN  97 

now?  "  I  added,  as  our  party  paused  at  the  entrance 
to  a  large  apartment  lying  next  the  dining-room  and 
connected  with  it  by  folding  doors. 

I  glanced  back  through  the  colonnade,  which  I  had 
scarcely  noticed  as  I  traversed  it.  The  mosaic  floor- 
ing was  partially  covered  by  a  thick  carpet,  the  walls 
were  hung  with  splendid  tapestries,  mirrors,  and 
pictures,  and  ornamented  with  gilded  carvings.  Be- 
tween the  pillars  stood  marble  statues  and  vases  of 
fragrant  flowers. 

Passing  from  the  colonnade,  we  entered  the  large 
apartment,  a  kind  of  hall,  elegantly  decorated,  and 
with  galleries  resembling  balconies. 

"  This  is  our  ballroom,"  observed  Mrs  Donnelly. 
"  W^e  use  it  for  weddings  and  other  festivities." 

"  And  the  orchestrion  furnishes  the  music,"  added 
her  niece.  "  You  see  it  is  between  the  ballroom  and 
the  dining-room,  so  that  we  can  hear  the  music  in 
both  rooms." 

Beyond  the  ballroom  was  the  drawing-room,  mag- 
nificently decorated  in  a  style  of  mingled  Turkish  and 
Arabesque.  Around  this  room  were  scattered  lux- 
urious divans,  sheltered  by  palms.  In  the  middle  was 
an  electric  fountain  sparkling  in  varied  colors,  its 
basin  ornamented  with  marble  nymphs  in  graceful 
and  charming  attitudes.  A  small,  semicircular  plat- 
form, almost  concealed  from  sight  by  magnificent 
hangings,  lay  between  two  large  stained-glass  win- 
dows, and  near  it  stood  an  electric  piano,  decorated 
7 


98  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

with  mother-of-pearl.  All  about  the  room  were 
strewn  small  carved  and  inlaid  tables,  Turkish  sofas 
with  soft  cushions,  rocking-chairs  in  cosey  corners, 
soft  carpets  and  thick  rugs,  flowers,  pictures,  statu- 
ettes here  and  there,  and  numerous  other  elegant  ob- 
jects, over  which  my  eye  had  to  wander  quickly,  so 
that  I  could  not  examine  them  attentively. 

"  There  is  something  in  the  atmosphere  of  this 
room  that  seems  to  invite  one  to  enter,"  I  remarked. 
"  Why  are  there  not  more  people  here?  " 

"  Do  you  think  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  amuse 
ourselves  in  the  forenoon,  Mr.  Burnham?"  replied 
Miss  Donnelly.  "  We  are  very  busy  people,  I  assure 
you.     Our  amusement  time  begins  in  the  afternoon." 

The  next  room  was  in  luxurious  French  style,  de- 
signed for  games  like  chess,  biUiards,  dominos,  and 
cards.  From  it  we  passed  into  the  library — a  large 
room  with  walls  lined  with  thousands  of  volumes,  ele- 
gantly and  substantially  bound.  In  the  middle  was 
an  immense  carved  wooden  revolving  globe,  beauti- 
fully painted.  Huge  maps,  half  unrolled,  hung  in  one 
corner,  and  in  niches  stood  bronze  busts  of  famous 
men  and  women. 

"  Every  adult,"  President  Donnelly  explained, 
*'  may  take  out  as  many  books  as  he  chooses.  We 
demand  only  that  when  the  reader  has  finished  with 
them  they  be  replaced  in  orderly  fashion  where  they 
belong." 


THE    REALM    OF    WOMAN  99 

"Every  adult?  Do  you  not  permit  children  to 
read  good  books  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  Nothing  so  develops  the  spirit  and 
character  of  a  child.  But  we  are  careful  what  we  put 
into  the  hands  of  children.  Every  school  has  its  own 
library,  and  the  teachers  are  expected  to  see  that  the 
children  get  only  such  books  as  are  good  for  them." 

"  Such  attention  is  admirable.  In  my  days  every 
child,  at  any  street  corner,  might,  for  a  few  pennies, 
buy  love  stories  or  tales  of  robbery  and  murder." 

"  I  know.  It  must  have  been  a  heavy  sorrow  to 
some  parents.  Education,  rightly  directed,  is  an 
art;  ill-directed,  is  a  crime." 

"  The  education  of  children,"  I  added,  "  particu- 
larly the  children  of  the  poor  and  destitute,  was  for- 
merly most  faulty.  I  am  convinced  that  if  more  and 
earHer  care  had  been  given  to  education,  there  would 
have  been  fewer  poorhouses,  lunatic  asylums,  prisons, 
and  scaffolds." 

"  Yes,"  continued  the  president,  "  and  unsuitable 
literature  is  responsible  for  much.  Children  and  per- 
sons of  poor  judgment  pass  easily  under  its  influence. 
But  people  with  a  modicum  of  understanding  see  that 
no  book  is  so  absolutely  bad  that  nothing  can  be 
learned  from  it,  that  the  worst  book  teaches  at  least 
one  useful  lesson — to  prize  good  books  all  the  more." 

"  Good  is  found  everywhere  by  those  who  seek  it," 
interposed  Mrs.  Donnelly. 

"  Yes,  Aunt,"  remarked  her  niece,  "  but  good  is 


100  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

not  aggressive.  It  is  the  bad  and  hateful  things  that 
force  themselves  upon  us." 

"  So  much  the  more  reason  why  we  should  seek  out 
the  good  and  beautiful,"  returned  her  aunt. 

We  left  the  library,  and  passed  through  a  series  of 
handsome  rooms  connected  with  it,  in  which,  seated 
at  big  tables,  I  saw  men  and  women  reading  books 
and  newspapers  or  writing. 

"  These  rooms,"  explained  Mrs.  Donnelly,  "  serve 
for  writing,  for  reading,  or  for  studying,  unless  we 
prefer  our  own  rooms  or  the  garden.  Now  we  have 
seen  everything  on  this  floor  except  the  office  and  the 
Council  Chamber." 

The  office  was  situated  near  the  hotel  entrance. 
Had  I  not  noticed  half  a  dozen  doors,  inscribed  with 
signs  and  leading  into  adjoining  apartments,  I  should 
have  guessed  that  the  room  which  we  entered,  instead 
of  being  an  office,  was  a  drawing-room,  for  it  con- 
tained elegant  divans,  chairs  and  tables,  statues, 
palms,  and  flowers  in  big  Chinese  vases.  The  floor 
was  covered  with  thick  carpets,  and  on  the  walls 
hung  pictures,  all  of  women.  In  short,  I  saw  here 
the  same  luxury  which  had  so  astonished  me  in  the 
other  rooms.  Men  and  women  came  and  went,  sat 
at  the  tables,  chatted  and  laughed,  or  disappeared 
behind  some  one  of  the  little  doors.  We  seated  our- 
selves comfortably,  and  the  president,  for  my  bene- 
fit, proceeded  to  explain  the  details  of  hotel  manage- 
ment as  here  carried  on. 


THE   REALM    OF    WOMA-^  101 

"  That  first  door  leads  into  our  hotel  post  office," 
he  began.  *'  There  is  the  iron  box  in  which  the  mail 
carrier  puts  our  mail  at  two  in  the  afternoon.  Our 
postmistress  distributes  it  among  the  one  hundred 
and  fifty  small  boxes  numbered  to  correspond  with 
our  dwelling-rooms.  The  second  door  leads  into  the 
telephone  room,  where  one  can  be  connected  with 
any  house  in  New  York.  The  third  room  is  our  tele- 
graph office.  Rooms  four  and  five  are  ordering- 
rooms,  the  former  for  women,  the  latter  for  men. 
In  these  rooms  clothing,  shoes,  and  linen  can  be  or- 
dered. The  method  is  this:  We  have  sample  books 
containing  colored  cuts  of  shoes,  hats,  and  the  vari- 
ous articles  of  clothing  and  underwear.  Every  per- 
son knows  his  or  her  measurements,  and  in  a  journal 
fills  in  his  number,  the  article  desired,  and  his  exact 
measurements.  At  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  the 
lady  manager  orders  all  the  goods  from  the  maga- 
zines, and  next  day  they  are  delivered  without  any 
further  care  or  effort  on  our  part." 

"  Very  simple !  "  I  remarked.  "  But  how  if  one 
employed  this  method  to  procure  new  clothing  every 
month  or  every  week?  " 

"  The  maximum  yearly  allowance  is  fixed,  and  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  lady  manager  to  see  that  this  allow- 
ance, which,  it  may  be  added,  is  amply  sufficient,  is 
not  exceeded.  Our  bookkeeping,  although  simple, 
is  thorough.  Our  hotel  ledger  allows  one  page  to 
each  family,  and  there  is  entered,  at  the  end  of  the 


102  TEE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

week,  whatever  clothing  or  linen  each  family  has  or- 
dered, the  entry  being  made  from  the  daybook.  In 
case  of  doubt,  the  manager  decides  whether  or  not 
certain  clothing  should  still  be  worn.  MaHcious 
damage  happens  very  seldom,  as  those  who  are  guilty 
of  it  must  do  the  repairing  themselves,  and  go  about 
for  some  time  in  patched  clothes.  In  general  you 
will  find  that  every  one,  old  or  young,  is  very  careful 
about  his  clothing." 

"  But  suppose  some  article  does  not  fit  properly?  " 

"  Every  woman  learns  in  her  youth  to  sew  by  hand 
and  by  machine.  If  any  article  of  clothing  does  not 
fit  properly  (and  this  can  scarcely  happen  when  the 
correct  measurements  are  given)  she  alters  it  her- 
self." 

"  What  about  the  fashions?  " 

"  Fashions,"  replied  Mrs.  Donnelly,  with  a  smile. 
"  Well,  the  present  style  is  about  fifty  years  old,  and 
I  see  no  signs  of  change." 

"  How  could  you  suspect  us  of  such  frivolity,  Mr. 
Burnham?"  put  in  Miss  Donnelly,  who  had  shown 
some  symptoms  of  abstraction  during  her  uncle's  re- 
marks. "  We  outgrew  all  that  ages  ago.  You  know, 
women  give  hardly  a  thought  to  their  external  ap- 
pearance now." 

"  You  leave  the  men  to  be  attracted  wholly  by  the 
beauties  of  the  mind  ?  " 

"  Of  course." 

"  And  you  do  nothing  to  enhance  your  own  per- 


THE    REALM    OF    TrO.UA.Y  103 

sonal  charms?  For  instance,  that  dark  red  rose  that 
looks  out  so  becomingly  from  your  hair — you  are 
probably  unaware  of  its  effect?  " 

"  Absolutely,"  returned  the  young  lady,  with  the 
most  ingenuous  of  expressions. 

"  Yes,"  continued  Mrs.  Donnelly,  "  I  have  read  of 
fashions  a  hundred  years  ago.  Your  women  devoted 
all  to  their  exterior.  To-day  every  woman  knows 
that  it  is  not  what  she  wears,  but  how  she  wears  it, 
which  distinguishes  her  sex.  In  your  time  reform 
was  scarcely  possible,  because  of  your  false  system  of 
education.  Rich  parents  clothed  their  children  in 
the  costliest  materials;  poor  parents  could  only  dress 
their  children  in  rags.  In  this  way  envy  was  bred. 
The  children  grew  up,  and  in  them  grew  the  love  of 
finery.  Rich  women  could  gratify  their  tastes,  and 
as  they  were  not  able  to  wear  out  their  clothes  quickly 
enough,  they  altered  the  fashions.  So  they  changed 
and  changed.  The  latest  fashion  was  always  the 
most  beautiful,  until  it,  too,  became  tiresome.  They 
forgot  that  the  outer  covering,  like  every  other  work 
of  man,  could  never  be  brought  to  complete  perfec- 
tion, and  that  every  fashion  contained  something 
foolish  and  absurd.  Even  reasonable  women  could 
not  free  themselves  entirely  from  this  folly,  if  they  de- 
sired to  move  in  so-called  better  society.  Rich 
women  made  Fashion  their  goddess,  and  the  poor 
grew  envious  and  dissatisfied." 


104  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

"  I  suppose  you  take  some  measures  to  instill  right 
ideas  on  this  subject  in  the  minds  of  children." 

"  Yes,  the  little  children  are  all  clothed  alike.  So, 
too,  are  the  older  children,  up  to  fourteen  years  of 
age,  who  live  with  their  parents,  and  so,  too,  the 
young  people  at  my  husband's  institution — all  are 
clothed  alike.  Under  such  conditions  envy  cannot 
flourish,  love  of  finery  cannot  grow.  From  our 
youngest  years  we  are  accustomed  to  plain,  suitable 
clothing,  which  we  must  take  good  care  of.  You 
know,  '  As  the  twig  is  bent,  the  bough's  inclined.' 
The  clothes  we  are  wearing  show  you  our  summer 
fashions.  In  winter,  naturally,  we  are  more  warmly 
clad.  In  cold  weather  women  wear  boots  which 
reach  almost  up  to  the  knees,  felt  hat,  and  a  long 
cloak.  Married  women  generally  wear  dresses  which 
reach  to  the  ankles,  although  there  is  no  prejudice 
against  bloomers.  Many  women  wear  bloomers 
when  doing  housework,  as  they  are  more  practical 
than  skirts.  In  winter  men  wear  long  boots,  felt 
hats,  and  long  cloaks.  In  the  house  we  naturally 
wear  suitable,  comfortable  clothing.  As  soon  as  we 
have  reached  the  age  of  twenty,  or  are  married,  we 
may  choose  the  color  of  our  clothes.  Cut  and  qual- 
ity are  the  same  for  all.  The  presidents  of  our  States 
wear  the  same  as  we  do,  except  on  festive  occasions, 
when  a  broad,  red  sash  is  worn  across  the  breast. 
Moreover,  every  one  owns  a  Sunday  or  holiday  suit, 
worn  only  on  such  days,  which  is  of  fine  material. 


THE   REALM    OF    WOMAiV  105 

For  children  and  young  women  the  color  is  white; 
married  women  wear  red  or  blue;  youths  and  men, 
black." 

"  That  sixth  door,  Mr.  Burnham,"  continued  Mr. 
Donnelly,  as  his  wife  paused,  "  leads  into  the  private 
office  of  our  lady  manager.  It  is  her  working-room, 
and  from  it  she  has  telephone  connection  with  every 
floor  and  apartment,  so  that  from  every  part  of  this 
great  building  it  is  possible  to  communicate  with  the 
manager  without  having  to  see  her  personally.  Her 
position  is  no  easy  one,  as  the  entire  responsibility 
for  the  management  of  this  immense  house  rests  upon 
her  shoulders.  I  will  take  the  first  opportunity  to 
introduce  you  to  her." 

Mrs.  Donnelly  rose,  stepped  back,  pulled  aside  a 
broad  curtain,  and  said,  "  This  room  is  our  council 
chamber.  At  certain  times  we  women  come  to- 
gether here  and  elect  our  officials,  or  discuss  the 
management  or  improvement  of  our  hotel;  or — " 
and  she  smiled  good-naturedly — "  or  we  form  machi- 
nations against  the  government." 

When  I  had  taken  a  somewhat  careful  look  about 
this  room,  which  was  furnished  elegantly  and  deco- 
rated with  numerous  portraits,  my  companions  rose, 
and  amid  a  more  general  conversation  we  left  the 
office,  passed  through  the  anteroom,  and  reentered 
the  colonnade.  This  we  traversed  until  we  reached 
the  top  of  a  wide  marble  staircase  which  descended 
into  the  basement.     There  we  paused. 


106  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

"  I  must  leave  you  now,"  said  the  president.  "  It 
is  time  I  was  at  my  desk.  My  wife  will  look  after 
you,  Mr.  Burnham,  and  I  shall  see  you  all  later." 

"  We  must  go,  too,"  exclaimed  Miss  Evans,  slip- 
ping her  arm  into  that  of  Miss  Roberts.  "  Are  you 
coming,  Pauline?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  latter.  "  This  is  my  day  with 
the  children,  you  know.     I  shall  see  you  at  dinner." 

And  amid  a  chorus  of  mutual  good-bys  half  our 
party  moved  away. 

"  Let  us  go  down."  said  Mrs.  Donnelly.  "  We 
could  use  the  elevator,  but  it  is  hardly  worth  while." 

When  we  reached  the  bottom  of  the  staircase  a 
long  vista  of  broad  passages  and  immense  rooms  lay 
stretched  before  us,  all  lighted  by  means  of  large  win- 
dows and  reflectors,  most  skilfully  arranged  so  as 
to  throw  the  light  down  from  the  street,  and  make  the 
subterranean  rooms  as  light  as  those  on  the  ground 
floor. 

"  In  these  rooms,"  explained  my  guide,  "  are  all 
the  machinery  and  apparatus  which  drive  our  ele- 
vators, provide  us  with  cold  and  heat,  electricity,  hot 
and  cold  water,  steam,  and  so  forth.  To  the  right 
are  the  steam  bakery,  kitchen,  larder,  storeroom  for 
utensils,  and  cold  storage  room.  On  the  left  are  the 
laundry  and  the  drying-rooms.  Let  us  glance  into 
the  kitchen  and  the  laundry." 

We  entered  the  kitchen.  On  the  walls  hung 
graters,  parers,  mills,  mincers,  utensils  for  filling,  as 


THE    REALM    OF    WOMAIi  107 

well  as  pots,  pans,  dishes,  cans,  choppers,  pincers, 
hooks,  knives,  forks,  and  moulds  of  iron,  steel,  cop- 
per, and  aluminum,  many  of  which  were  strange  to 
me,  and  gave  the  place  the  appearance  of  a  chemical 
laboratory  rather  than  a  kitchen,  A  number  of 
young  girls  and  a  few  women  were  engaged  at  work, 
some  at  the  electric  ranges,  some  at  other  appara- 
tus. 

What  most  impressed  me  was  the  striking  clean- 
ness of  everything — no  smoke,  no  dirt,  no  ashes,  no 
coal.  Walls  and  floor  were  covered  with  white  porce- 
lain slabs,  and  the  utensils,  apparatus,  and  ranges 
fairly  sparkled.  Mrs.  Donnelly  explained  every- 
thing to  me,  and  drew  my  attention  to  the  big  ma- 
chine for  washing  the  various  utensils,  the  working 
of  which  she  showed  me. 

"  This  machine  does  much  better  work  than  can  be 
done  by  hand.  On  this  side  we  place  dishes  and  other 
things  to  be  washed;  they  come  out  at  the  other  side 
clean  and  dry.  Even  the  thinnest  and  most  delicate 
dish  is  not  broken  or  damaged  in  the  process." 

She  also  spoke  enthusiastically  about  the  electric 
cooking  ranges.  "  We  could  stand  here  and  cook, 
dressed  in  white  and  wearing  white  gloves,  without 
getting  soiled  in  the  least.  Owing  to  all  the  inven- 
tions and  improvements  made  since  your  time,  cook- 
ing has  no  longer  any  terror  for  us.  All  the  rough 
work  is  performed  by  machines.  If  it  gets  too  warm 
for  our  comfort,  all  we  need  do  is  to  set  the  electric 


108  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

fans  going.  We  have  no  longer  to  take  out  the  ashes 
or  put  coal  on  the  fire,  nor  have  we  to  wash  soot 
from  the  utensils.  But  enough  on  that  subject. 
You  are  a  man,  and  men  don't  take  much  interest 
in  the  process  of  cooking." 

"  They  may  not  be  interested  in  the  process,"  re- 
marked Miss  Donnelly,  "  but  I  never  saw  one  who 
was  indifferent  to  the  result.  Man's  appetite  is  the 
starting-point  of  social  equality." 

The  storeroom  for  utensils,  the  larder,  and  the  cel- 
lar, where  beverages  were  kept,  then  followed  in 
order.  Everywhere  the  same  cleanliness  and  the 
same  neatness — no  dark,  dirty,  or  neglected  cor- 
ners. Everything  had  its  place,  and  everything  was 
so  placed  that  it  could  be  gotten  at  with  the  mini- 
mum of  trouble.  The  room  where  the  utensils  were 
stored  contained  much  gold,  silver,  and  crystal  table 
ware,  used,  as  Mrs.  Donnelly  explained,  only  on  fes- 
tive occasions. 

Before  we  left  these  rooms  I  was  introduced  to  the 
mistress  of  the  kitchen  and  cellars,  a  pleasant-man- 
nered old  lady,  who,  seated  at  a  desk,  was  preparing 
the  menu  for  the  following  day. 

Next  came  the  laundry,  an  immense  room  in  which 
were  tubs,  large  pipes,  rollers,  wringing-machines, 
boxes,  and  tables  of  wood  and  marble.  This  room, 
which  was  empty  when  we  entered,  was,  like  the 
other  rooms,  lined  with  porcelain  slabs,  and  every- 
thing was  as  clean  and  orderly  as  in  the  kitchen. 


THE    REALM    OF    WOMAN  109 

Mrs.  Donnelly  showed  me  a  circular  shaft,  reach- 
ing to  the  top  story,  through  openings  in  which  the 
washing  was  thrown  down  into  the  laundry.  Near 
it  an  electric  dumbwaiter  carried  back  the  clean 
linen. 

"  We  have  one  washday  a  week.  Every  piece 
of  washing  bears  the  owner's  number,  and  there  is 
no  possibility  of  mistake.  Washing  as  well  as  cook- 
ing causes  no  complaint,  for  nearly  everything  is 
done  by  machinery,  which  washes,  cleans,  starches, 
irons,  and  folds.  The  adjoining  room,  heated  artifi- 
cially, is  our  drying-room.  In  half  an  hour  our  en- 
tire week's  wash  is  dried." 

We  passed  from  the  laundry,  and,  traversing  the 
corridor  for  a  few  steps,  entered  a  long,  narrow  hall 
divided  for  most  of  its  length  by  a  partition,  and 
thus  forming  two  narrower  chambers,  one  of  which 
contained  two  well-arranged  bowling  alleys,  while 
the  other  was  fitted  as  a  shooting  gallery.  In  glass 
cases  along  the  walls  of  this  latter  room  were  hung 
rifles,  pistols,  slings,  spears,  foils,  sabres  and  rapiers, 
and  above  them  visors,  masks,  breastplates,  and 
guards  for  the  arms  and  legs. 

Miss  Donnelly  watched  me  with  some  amusement 
as  I  scanned  this  formidable  array  of  warlike  imple- 
ments. 

"  Do  they  look  familiar?  "  she  asked. 

"  Yes,    the   foils   especially.     I   should   like   some 


110  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

day  to  try  whether  I  have  quite  forgotten  my  little 
knowledge  of  them." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  be  your  antagonist,"  she  re- 
plied. "  And  perhaps  you  will  be  interested  in  this 
room,  too." 

She  threw  open  a  large  door  at  the  side  of  the  gal- 
lery, and  we  followed  her  into  an  extensive  room  or 
hall  fitted  with  ladders,  ropes,  poles,  bars,  spring 
boards,  and  every  form  of  gymnastic  apparatus. 
Dumb-bells,  clubs,  and  weights  were  grouped  here 
and  there,  and  the  whole  floor  was  bordered  by  a 
cinder  running  path,  which  showed  evidence  of  fre- 
quent use. 

"  A  splendid  gymnasium  !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Who 
uses  it?  " 

"  We  do,"  replied  Miss  Donnelly,  "  we  women." 

"The  track,  too?" 

"  Yes.  Are  you  fond  of  the  exercise  ?  I  will  run 
you  your  own  distance,  from  a  hundred  yards  to  half 
a  mile." 

"Done!  And  what  shall  the  stake  be?  Make 
the  bet  what  you  choose." 

"Bet?  Stake?  Really,  Mr.  Burnham,  you  can't 
expect  me  to  understand  you." 

"  One  would  find  it  hard  to  bet  without  money, 
wouldn't  he,  Mr.  Burnham?"  added  Mrs.  Donnelly. 
*■'  Yes,  we  learn  shooting,  fencing,  bowling,  and  other 
forms  of  gymnastics  in  our  youth  and  we  keep  them 
up  all  our  lives.     A  reasonable  development  of  every 


THE   REALM    OF    WOMA-N  111 

part  of  the  body  is  the  best  means  of  obtaining  health 
and  beauty.  Our  principal  exercises  are  out  of 
doors,  and  at  our  annual  sports  you  will  learn  to  re- 
spect the  skill  of  the  women  of  to-day.  Our  man- 
ner of  life  does  not  make  giantesses  of  us,  it  is  true, 
but  you  may  look  in  vain  for  the  pale,  weak-nerved 
girls  and  women  of  a  hundred  years  ago.  Fresh  air, 
free  movement,  suitable  food,  little  worry,  and  plenty 
of  sleep  leave  us  no  time  to  be  ill." 

As  she  was  speaking  we  left  the  room  and  turned 
back  into  the  corridor.  From  the  other  side  of  the 
building  there  reached  our  ears  childish  laughs  and 
cries  and  the  patter  of  little  feet.  Miss  Donnelly 
smiled.  "  It  is  time  I  was  at  work,"  she  said.  "  I 
think  my  charges  are  quite  ready  for  me.  Will  you 
look  in  ?  "  And  she  moved  toward  a  large  door  of 
ground  glass  opening  from  the  corridor  not  far  from 
where  we  stood. 

The  childish  cries  ceased  for  an  instant  when  the 
door  swung  open.  Then  a  dozen  childish  voices 
cried  at  once,  "  Auntie  Paul !  Auntie  Paul !  "  And 
the  little  feet  scampered  toward  her,  and  a  dozen 
rosy  children  scrambled  over  each  other  in  an  effort 
to  be  the  first  to  reach  her  arms. 

"  These  are  my  boys  and  girls,"  she  said,  as  she 
disengaged  herself  and  raised  her  hands  to  restore 
the  order  of  her  tumbled  hair.  "  And  their  aunt  is 
very  fond  of  them.  Have  they  been  good.  Bertha?  " 
she  added,  as  she  nodded  to  a  smiling  young  girl, 


112  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

who,  with  flushed  face,  was  standing  beside  the  elec- 
tric piano. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  very  good,  but  impatient  for  you  to 
come." 

"  I  will  be  with  them  in  a  minute.  This,  you  see, 
Mr.  Burnham,  is  where  the  children  and  I  keep  house. 
Here  we  dance,  eat,  sleep,  learn  a  little  reading,  writ- 
ing, and  arithmetic,  draw  pictures,  and  sing — in  short, 
do  all  we  can  to  make  the  time  pass  pleasantly  and 
profitably.  Then  we  sew  and  mend  and  crochet — 
that  is,  the  girls  do — and  we  make  beds,  and  sweep 
and  dust  the  rooms.  Oh,  you  would  be  amazed  to 
see  us  all  with  our  brooms  and  dusters,  cleaning  and 
putting  our  toys  in  order.  And  we  must  keep  clean 
or  we  shall  be  scolded.  It  is  hard  at  first  to  be  or- 
derly, but  when  we've  once  learned  we  don't  forget." 

"  This  next  room,"  Mrs.  Donnelly  continued,  as 
her  niece  paused,  "  is  the  schoolroom.  Here  is  their 
theatre,  where  they  act  their  little  plays  and  speak 
their  pieces.  And  this  room  with  the  cots  is  where 
the  little  ones  take  their  naps  when  they  are  tired." 

I  followed  as  my  guides  passed  from  room  to  room. 
Everywhere  were  benches,  tables,  chairs,  dolls,  rock- 
ing-horses, picture  books,  carts,  and  playthings  in- 
numerable, while  on  the  walls  hung  pictures  of  ani- 
mals, landscapes  and  views  of  cities,  and  portraits  of 
well-known  men. 

"  This  last  room,  Mr.  Burnham,"  resumed  Miss 
Donnelly,  "  is  the  liveliest  of  all.     Look !  " 


THE   REALM    OF    WOMA^  113 

It  was,  indeed,  the  liveliest  of  all.  The  children 
were  playing  in  piles  of  sand,  carting  it  about,  build- 
ing houses,  bridges,  and  castles,  and  knocking  them 
down  to  build  them  again.  All  were  dressed  alike 
in  blue  sailor  costumes  of  light  material,  sleeveless, 
and  cut  low,  so  as  to  leave  arms  and  neck  free.  Knee 
stockings  and  black  low  shoes  completed  the  dress, 
and  the  children  looked  as  comfortable  and  charming 
as  possible.     Little  blue  sailor  caps  hung  on  the  walls. 

"  I  used  to  teach  here  myself,"  murmured  Mrs. 
Donnelly  with  a  sigh,  as  though  of  regret. 

We  turned  to  go. 

"  Good-by,  Aunt  Harriet,"  said  Miss  Donnelly,  as 
she  kissed  her.  "  Good-by,  Mr.  Burnham,"  she 
added,  extending  her  hand.  "  You  are  beginning  to 
know  us  better,  I  feel  sure." 

I  bowed  over  the  hand  I  held,  and  followed  the 
elder  lady  out  into  the  corridor.  The  door  closed 
behind  us,  and  we  passed  slowly  up  the  marble  stair- 
case without  a  word,  while  faintly  in  our  ears  re- 
sounded the  gay  music  of  the  piano,  the  laughter 
and  the  cries  of  the  children. 

8 


VI 

A   DWELLING   IN   THE   YEAR   2000 

As  we  slowly  crossed  the  garden  I  could  not  help 
regarding  with  surprise  the  groups  of  girls  who 
passed,  walking  freely  and  without  constraint  in 
their  loose,  skirt-Hke  trousers,  but  my  surprise  melted 
into  admiration  as  my  eye  followed  the  natural  and 
unaffected  grace  of  their  movements. 

"How  do  you  like  the  costume  of  our  girls?" 
asked  Mrs.  Donnelly. 

"  I  like  it  more  and  more.  It  is  eminently  suit- 
able and  pretty.  But  it  would  have  been  ridiculed 
a  hundred  years  ago." 

"  I  know.  It  is  natural,  and  the  costume  of  your 
women  was  all  artifice — and  so  were  the  women  often, 
I  believe,  all  false;  hair,  color,  teeth,  figure,  and 
Heaven  knows  what  else.  Had  I  been  a  man,  I 
could  not  have  helped  thinking  their  love  false,  too." 

She  saw  that  I  was  on  the  point  of  rallying  in  de- 
fence of  the  women  of  my  time,  and  quickly  added: 
"  Oh,  I  know  I  have  exaggerated.  But  just  look 
over  the  newspapers  of  your  day,  and  see  if  you  do  not 
find  in  every  one  of  them  hundreds  of  advertisements 
of  cosmetics,  powders,  salves,  soaps,  medicines,  and 


A    DWELLING    IN    THE    YEAR  2000  115 

paints;  with  the  cards  of  innumerable  dentists  and 
ladies'  physicians." 

"  You  are  right,"  I  answered,  "  yet  there  were 
many  women  sensible  enough  to  see  that  a  large 
number  of  their  sisters  lived  in  such  a  way  as  to 
undermine  their  beauty  and  their  health;  and  the 
women  who  saw  this  fought  for  the  improvement  of 
their  sex,  both  by  writing  and  by  speaking." 

"  But,  Mr.  Burnham,  how  could  there  be  improv- 
ment  so  long  as  half-grown  girls  worked  in  mills, 
where  they  were  ruined  mentally  and  physically, 
and  were  rendered  unfit  for  happy  marriage  and  the 
joy  of  family  life?  Was  any  improvement  possible 
while  the  women  of  your  time  were  worried  with  all 
the  petty  vexations  of  housekeeping,  while  the  whole 
burden  of  cooking,  washing,  educating  the  children, 
and  perhaps  taking  care  of  the  husband  rested  on 
their  shoulders?  True  enough,  rich  women  could 
get  help;  but  of  these,  who  were  comparatively  few, 
I  was  not  speaking.  I  was  sympathizing  with  the 
great  masses  as  a  whole." 

"  The  masses  felt  the  weight  of  the  burden  only  too 
keenly.  Yet  they  did  not  know  how  to  help  them- 
selves. The  condition  of  society  was  such  that  the 
sanest  men  often  despaired.  There  were  people 
enough  willing  to  help  to  bring  about  better  con- 
ditions, and  to  improve  the  state  of  the  masses,  but 
they  did  not  know  where  to  begin.  Here  and  there 
occasionally  there  was  a  sort  of  patching  and  im- 


116  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

proving,  but  what  did  it  all  lead  to?  In  the  end  the 
rags  which  covered  society  had  not  become  new 
clothing.  It  was  the  same  old  tattered  garment, 
more  and  more  ragged  as  time  went  on." 

"  Society  needed  a  new  robe,  but  had  not  decision 
enough  to  cast  the  old  off,"  said  Mrs.  Donnelly 
gravely. 

"  The  time  was  not  ripe  for  it.  The  great  mass 
of  mankind  was  not  ready  for  thorough  reforms. 
Great  reforms,  in  order  to  be  thorough  and  effectual, 
must  be  called  for  by  the  masses,  and  must  be  ex- 
ecuted by  them.  When  the  people  themselves  do 
not  understand  efforts  for  the  bettering  of  their  con- 
dition, they  are  not  touched  by  the  efforts.  You 
must  have  read  with  what  mistrust  laborers  every- 
where regarded  machines  which  did  work  formerly 
done  by  hand,  and  how  opposed  the  Turks  and  the 
Chinese  were  to  modern  improvements.  There  was 
a  lack  of  understanding  in  the  masses,  and  they  could 
not  be  educated  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye." 

"  I  see,  Mr.  Burnham,  that  some  of  my  opinions 
were  mistaken.  But  please  forgive  them.  In  my 
heart  I  am  fully  convinced  that  there  were  thou- 
sands of  noble  men  and  women,  who  would  have 
preferred  to  do  what  was  right,  had  they  not  been 
influenced  and  led  astray  by  their  conditions.  But 
when  I  think  of  the  means  you  had  for  improving 
those  conditions,  and  how,  nevertheless,  you  suffered 
and  made  each  other  miserable,  I  am  filled  with  such 


A    DWELLING    IN    THE    YEAR  2000  117 

sorrow  and  sympathy  that  I  do  not  weigh  my  words. 
I  often  recall  an  inscription  on  the  wall  of  the  dor- 
mitory where  I  lived  as  a  girl  student.     It  read : 

Close  not  thine  eyes  ere  thou  rememberest  what 
thou  hast  done  to-day. 

"  '  Think  well  on  these  questions : 

"  *  What  have  I  learned  ? 

"  '  What  good  deed  have  I  performed? 

What  have  I  striven  after  ? 

What  duty  have  I  omitted  ? 
"  '  What  folly  have  I  committed  ?  ' 

For  years  these  maxims  met  my  eye  each  night,  and, 
I  believe,  had  much  to  do  with  bringing  me  to  a 
realization  of  what  is  meant  by  real  unselfishness  and 
charity." 

During  this  conversation  we  had  crossed  the  great 
court  garden,  planted  like  that  of  the  university, 
and  kept  in  splendid  order,  and  had  reentered  the 
colonnade. 

"  I  am  fond  of  climbing  sometimes,"  said  Mrs. 
Donnelly.  "  We  live  on  the  second  floor,  and  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  use  the  elevator." 

We  ascended  the  broad,  marble  staircase,  decorated 
with  flowers,  statues,  pictures  and  palms,  and  covered 
with  carpets,  and  in  a  moment  had  reached  the  second 
floor. 

On  this  floor  was  also  a  colonnade,  magnificent  as 


118  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

that  on  the  first  floor,  and  decorated  in  the  same 
manner.  But  in  place  of  wooden  doors,  there  ap- 
peared, at  intervals,  low,  gilded  doors,  of  openwork, 
through  which  one  looked  into  small,  elegant  ante- 
rooms. Between  the  pillars  of  the  colonnade  stood 
comfortable,  carved  chairs,  which  invited  one  to  sit 
and,  leaning  on  the  balustrade,  to  gaze  down  into  the 
garden. 

I  expressed  my  astonishment  at  the  magnificence 
which  greeted  my  eye  on  every  side.  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly smiled  and  looked  at  me  in  wonder. 

"  Why  shouldn't  we  make  our  homes  as  beautiful 
and  comfortable  as  we  can?  Doesn't  nature  provide 
for  us  all  that  is  necessary?  Why  not  make  use  of 
it?  When  we  can  set  up  a  heaven  on  earth,  why 
live  in  purgatory  ?  But  you  will  understand  me  bet- 
ter by  and  by,  so  I'll  say  no  more.  In  case  you  ever 
want  to  look  into  the  garden,  you  need  only  let  down 
one  of  the  awnings  between  the  pillars,  and  you  will 
be  shaded  from  the  sun.  In  winter  we  put  in  win- 
dows between  the  pillars  to  keep  out  the  snow  and 
cold,  and  then  our  corridors  are  just  as  warm  as  our 
rooms.  Now  shall  we  take  a  look  at  my  apart- 
ment?" 

She  led  the  way  toward  one  of  the  openwork 
doors,  pushed  it  aside,  and  we  entered  an  elegant 
anteroom.  What  first  attracted  my  attention  was 
three  doors,  half  concealed  by  heavy  hangings,  the 
broad,  middle  door  lying  directly  in  front  of  us,  while 


A    DWELLING    IN    THE    YEAR  SOOO  119 

two  smaller  doors  opened  from  the  side  walls  at  the 
right  and  left.  The  anteroom  contained  a  small 
statue  encircled  by  palms,  a  large  mirror,  several 
beautiful  pictures,  rich  hangings  and  carpets,  a  small 
table,  two  or  three  chairs,  and  a  couch. 

While  I  was  rapidly  glancing  over  the  decorations, 
Mrs.  Donnelly  threw  open  the  wide  folding  doors  in 
front. 

"  This  is  our  drawing-room." 

I  followed  her  into  a  room,  the  magnificence  of 
which  struck  me  with  amazement.  I  will  attempt  no 
detailed  recital  of  all  the  splendid  tables,  chairs,  di- 
vans, pictures,  statues,  hangings,  carpets,  and  flowers. 
But  the  three  immense  painted  windows,  and  the 
equally  splendid  painted  ceiling  impressed  me  par- 
ticularly. 

When  I  had  in  part  satisfied  my  curiosity,  Mrs. 
Donnelly  drew  aside  some  hangings  which  had  cov- 
ered an  opening  on  our  right.  Passing  through,  we 
entered  a  large,  double-windowed  bedroom,  finished 
in  white  and  gold  throughout.  The  big  bed  in  white 
and  gold,  with  its  hangings  and  carved  ornaments 
looked  like  a  dream — so  clean  and  beautiful.  In  a 
corner,  half  hidden  behind  a  white  curtain  embroid- 
ered with  gold,  was  built  Into  the  wall  a  marble 
washbasin  with  gilded  faucets.  Whichever  way  I 
looked,  some  work  of  art  met  my  eyes — a  mirror 
showing  the  entire  figure,  toilet  tables,  pictures,  stat- 


120  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

ues,  carvings,  carpets,  magnificent  tapestry,  chairs, 
and  sofas. 

We  returned  to  the  drawing-room,  and  when  Mrs. 
Donnelly  had  opened  the  door  on  the  left,  we  entered 
the  fourth  and  last  room,  a  large  room,  with  two 
wide  windows,  but  far  more  plain  in  its  arrangement 
than  those  we  had  just  seen. 

"  This  is  intended  for  the  children;  that  is,  for 
children  under  ten.  You  know  that  between  that 
age  and  fourteen  the  young  people  sleep  in  their  own 
dormitories  on  the  tenth  floor.  We  use  this  as  our 
workroom.  There  you  see  my  electric  sewing  ma- 
chine and  my  worktable.  My  husband  has  his 
writing-table  and  his  books  here  by  the  window,  as 
he  prefers  to  work  and  study  here  rather  than  in  the 
rooms  below." 

From  the  moment  when  we  entered  the  anteroom 
I  had  noticed  the  peculiar,  pleasant,  dry  coolness 
which  permeated  the  entire  dwelling,  and  now  I 
turned  to  Mrs.  Donnelly  and  asked  her  for  an  ex- 
planation. 

She  pointed  to  the  ceiling.  "  Do  you  see  those 
perforated  flowers,  leaves,  and  fruits?  Well,  through 
those  small  perforations  liquid  air  is  pressed  which 
diffuses  itself  through  the  rooms.  All  the  hotel,  ex- 
cept the  basement,  is  kept  cool  in  this  way.  In  every 
room  there  is,  near  the  door,  a  little  button,  and  ac- 
cording as  that  is  turned  to  right  or  left,  cool  air  is 
admitted  or  shut  out." 


A    DWELLISG    IX    THE    YEAR  SOOO  131 

"  I  suppose  you  get  heat  in  winter  in  a  similar 
way?" 

"  Yes.  The  turning  of  another  button  brings 
warm  air  through  the  small  openings  near  the  floor." 

"  Are  the  clocks,  or  rather  the  dials,  which  I  have 
seen  in  nearly  every  room,  electric  clocks?" 

"  They  are.  The  hands  are  moved  by  a  machine 
in  the  basement.  At  night,  in  the  dark,  we  can  see 
what  time  it  is,  as  the  figures  are  varnished  with  a 
luminous  preparation.  And  the  mention  of  clocks 
reminds  me  that  it  is  almost  two  o'clock — our  din- 
ner time.     We  must  go  down." 

We  went,  not  by  the  staircase,  but  in  one  of  the 
elevators,  w^hich  were  just  as  large  and  beautiful  as 
those  in  the  university. 

As  we  entered  the  dining-hall,  \ve  were  again 
greeted  by  the  beautiful,  subdued  music  and  by  the 
scent  of  flowers. 

The  long,  horseshoe-shaped  table  was  decorated 
with  flowers,  and  bore  a  festal  display  of  gold  and 
silver  vessels,  as  well  as  glass  and  porcelain.  At  the 
table  were  seated  men  and  women  in  quiet  but  in- 
formal dress,  eating  and  drinking,  laughing  and  chat- 
ting. A  number  of  busy  young  girls  hurried  about, 
serving. 

We  took  our  seats  among  the  happy,  jovial  party. 
Menus  in  silver  frames  were  placed  on  the  table  at 
certain  intervals,  and  as  I  handed  one  to  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly I  noticed  that  it  was  printed  in  characters  and 


122  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

signs  unknown  to  me.  She  observed  my  surprise, 
and  said,  smilingly,  "  Yes,  you  will  have  to  learn  to 
read  and  write  before  you  can  use  our  menus." 

Although  I  was  curious  to  find  out  why  the  cards 
were  not  printed  in  ordinary  English,  I  reserved  my 
questions,  and  begged  her  to  order  my  dinner  ac- 
cording to  her  own  ideas.  The  result  justified  my 
confidence.  The  dishes  were  varied  and  the  cook- 
ing excellent,  though  many  of  the  materials  were 
unfamiliar.  At  Mrs.  Donnelly's  suggestion  I  took 
a  glass  of  wine,  and  found  it  extremely  good.  But 
what  most  interested  me  was  the  pyramids  of  lus- 
cious fruit  gathered,  it  seemed  to  me,  from  all  the 
quarters  of  the  globe. 

When  I  had  satisfied  my  hunger,  it  occurred  to  me 
that  although  there  were  men  and  women  at  the  table, 
there  were  no  children.  Mrs.  Donnelly  explained 
that  the  children  were  in  school,  the  young  children 
in  the  nursery  school,  the  larger  children,  from  five 
to  fourteen  years  old,  in  their  preparatory  school, 
where  they  remained  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing until  five  in  the  afternoon,  and  eat  their  dinner. 
"  As  my  husband  told  you,"  she  added,  "  the  young 
people  of  from  fourteen  to  twenty  live  in  the  hotels 
connected  with  the  educational  institutions,  and  of 
course  eat  there.  In  the  evening  the  children  sit  at 
the  small  side  tables,  and  the  older  boys  and  girls 
wait  on  the  younger.     The  children  must  eat  what  is 


A    DWELLING    IN    THE    YEAR  2000  133 

set  before  them.  Choice  of  foods  begins  only  at  the 
age  of  twenty." 

"  Must  all  the  residents  of  the  hotel  take  their 
meals  at  the  same  time?  "  I  asked,  for,  from  the  esti- 
mate which  I  was  able  to  form,  it  did  not  seem  pos- 
sible that  all  were  present. 

"  Oh,  dear  no !  That  could  not  possibly  be  ar- 
ranged, for  the  working  hours  dififer  so.  All  may 
eat  at  whatever  hour  of  the  day  or  night  best  suits 
them." 

"  Is  any  maximum  fixed?  " 

"  Not  by  us,  but  by  nature.  When  a  man  is  no 
longer  hungry  he  usually  ceases  eating." 

We  arose,  took  the  elevator,  and  disembarked  at 
the  second  floor. 

"  I  have  not  yet  told  you  where  you  can  find  the 
bathroom,  and  you  have  not  yet  seen  your  room. 
Each  floor  has  four  large  bathrooms,  one  in  each 
corner,  two  for  women  and  children,  two  for  men 
and  boys.  Your  room  is  near  the  men's  bathroom 
on  this  floor." 

We  had  walked  along  the  colonnade  as  far  as  the 
curve,  when  Mrs.  Donnelly  stopped  in  front  of  a 
small,  pretty  latticed  door,  which  led  into  a  narrow 
anteroom. 

"  Here  w^e  are.  This  door  opens  into  your  apart- 
ment." As  she  spoke  she  opened  the  door,  and  we 
stepped  into  the  small  anteroom,  and,  opening  the 
other  door  which  lay  before  us,  passed  into  my  own 


124  TEE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

room.  This  was  large  and  handsome,  had  two  win- 
dows, and  was  provided  with  everything  that  one 
could  need,  but  of  the  luxury  which  I  had  noticed  in 
the  dwelling  of  the  president  there  was  no  trace  here. 

"  For  the  present  this  will  be  your  apartment.  It 
is  one  of  our  guest  rooms,  of  which  each  hotel  has  a 
certain  number,  and  which  are  used  only  by  visitors. 
Of  course  the  entire  hotel  is  at  your  service.  Your 
clothing,  linen,  and  shoes  we  will  order  this  evening, 
and  you  will  have  them  in  the  morning.  If  you  want 
to  brush  your  clothes  or  pohsh  your  shoes,  you  will 
find  everything  you  need  in  a  compartment  near  the 
bathroom." 

The  idea  that  every  man  had  to  brush  his  own 
clothes  and  polish  his  own  shoes  struck  me  as  some- 
thing of  a  novelty,  and  no  doubt  Mrs.  Donnelly  read 
my  thoughts,  for  she  hastened  to  add,  "  Work  en- 
nobles us,  you  know,  Mr.  Burnham.  But  you  need 
not  be  worried.  The  brushing  is  done  by  a  little 
electrical  machine.  All  that  you  have  to  do  is  to 
spread  the  garment  in  the  machine.  The  polishing 
of  your  shoes  is  a  simple  matter  which  takes  only  a 
few  seconds.  With  a  moist  cloth  you  wipe  your 
shoes  clean,  and  then  with  a  broad  brush  you  apply 
some  of  our  leather  polish.  This  dries  immediately, 
and  if  your  shoes  don't  get  wet,  they  will  shine  for 
a  whole  week.  Now  let  us  go  back  to  my  apart- 
ments. I  want  to  tell  you  more  about  the  manage- 
ment of  our  hotel." 


VII 


A    LARGE    FAMILY 


We  reentered  her  drawing-room,  and  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly, advancing  to  the  middle  window,  pushed  apart 
the  panels,  and,  to  my  astonishment,  also  a  section 
of  the  wall  underneath,  disclosing  a  broad  opening 
leading  out  upon  a  balcony. 

"  Come  out,  Mr.  Burnham.  It  is  much  pleasanter." 
I  stepped  out  upon  the  balcony  and  gazed  up  and 
down  the  street.  But  of  a  stree't  in  the  ordinary  ac- 
ceptation of  the  term,  there  was  Httle  to  be  seen. 
Beside  the  magnificent  houses  were  sidewalks, 
planted  with  fruit  trees,  while  in  the  middle  of 
the  street,  instead  of  a  carriage  way,  appeared  a 
stretch  of  garden  splendidly  laid  out,  with  trees,  ar- 
bors, and  beds  of  flowers.  Along  the  gravel  paths  and 
well-tended  grass  plots,  benches  and  tables  were  set 
at  intervals.  Here  and  there  magnificent  statues  and 
fountains,  and  immense  electric  lamps  arose  from 
among  the  green  foliage.  And  as  I  looked  farther 
up  this  splendid  street-park  I  noticed  that  it  was 
divided  into  separate  parts,  each  four  blocks  long, 
and  each  enclosed  by  a  gilded  railing.  At  first  I  was 
at  a  loss  to  understand  why  these  divisions  had  been 


126  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

made,  until  I  noticed  elegant  street  cars  crossing  the 
avenue  within  these  railings. 

With  silent  enjoyment  Mrs.  Donnelly  watched  me 
absorb  the  details  of  this  magnificent  picture. 

"  I  notice  that  the  cars  run  at  every  fourth  square, 
east  and  west." 

"  Yes,  foot  passengers  use  underground  tunnels 
to  cross  at  these  points." 

Children  were  playing  in  the  grass  and  under  the 
trees,  running,  jumping,  dancing,  keeping  school, 
and  playing  ball.  And  men  and  women  sat  near, 
some  alone  on  benches,  some  busying  themselves  with 
the  children. 

"  Those  are  the  pupils  of  our  play  schools,  with 
their  teachers  or  parents,"  explained  Mrs.  Donnelly. 

Hammocks  and  swings  hung  in  shady  places  be- 
tween the  trees,  and  small  electric  cars,  each  holding 
four  children  and  one  adult,  were  running  about  the 
paths. 

"  These  little  cars  are  at  the  disposal  of  the  chil- 
dren in  turn.  There  are  four  of  them  kept  and  used 
in  each  division  of  the  park." 

"  That  reminds  me  that  I  have  seen  no  baby  carri- 
ages." 

"  We  don't  use  them.  Why  should  we  push  an 
awkward  baby  carriage,  when  our  comfortable  elec- 
tric street  cars  are  at  everybody's  disposal?  If 
a  mother  wishes  to  take  a  child  anywhere  in  city  or 
country,  she  uses  the  cars.     As  you  have  doubtless 


A    LARGE    FAMILY  137 

noticed,  our  cars  always  run  in  trains  of  tlircc.  In 
the  last  car  the  mother  finds  everything  necessary 
for  the  comfort  of  the  child.  One  can  wash  there; 
there  is  always  a  supply  of  fresh  drinking  water. 
Clothes  can  be  brushed  or  shoes  polished." 

"  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I  said,  as  I  leaned  back  comfort- 
ably in  my  chair,  "  I  find  it  hard  to  become  accus- 
tomed to  this  new  world  which  continually  presents 
such  wonders  to  me.  How  could  I  imagine  that  on 
the  site  of  the  New  York  of  my  time  would  ever 
arise  this  beautiful  city?  Please  explain  how  you 
manage  it  ?  How  do  you  contrive  to  have  everything 
so  beautiful  and  orderly?  " 

"  That  question  requires  a  long  answer,"  replied 
Mrs.  Donnelly  amiably,  "  but  I  will  be  as  brief  as  I 
can.  First,  as  to  our  hotels.  Each  of  the  large 
buildings  which  we  call  hotels  accommodates  on  its 
ten  floors  (of  which,  however,  only  nine  contain 
dwellings  proper)  250  families,  or  from  650  to  700 
persons.  That  is  to  say,  besides  children,  there  are 
250  women  and  250  men  in  each  hotel.  The  few 
visitors  who  occasionally  use  the  guest  chambers  are 
not  included,  as  they  do  not  materially  affect  the 
management.  With  our  hotel  management  men  have 
nothing  to  do.  Housekeeping  and  the  education  of 
children  are  woman's  domain,  and  therein  she  reigns 
supreme.  As  soon  as  a  young  couple  are  married, 
a  dwelling  is  at  their  disposal,  just  as  large  and  beauti- 
ful as  the  one  in  which  I  live;  that  is,  an  apartment 


128  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

containing  an  anteroom,  a  drawing-room,  bedroom, 
and  a  nursery.  In  front  of  every  drawing-room  is  a 
balcony.  All  the  seven  windows  command  a  view  of 
the  street.  No  matter  in  which  part  of  the  building 
the  apartment  is  situated,  there  is  always  a  beautiful 
prospect.  Decorations  and  furniture  are  in  different 
styles  and  colors,  and  the  occupants  may  take  their 
choice.  The  number  of  pictures,  carpets,  statues,  and 
such  articles  necessary  for  beautifying  the  apartment 
is  definitely  fixed,  and  we  have  an  immense  variety 
to  select  from.  I  think  that  if  you  went  through 
the  hotel,  although  you  would  find  luxury  every- 
where, you  would  not  find  any  two  apartments  fur- 
nished alike.  If  anything  is  damaged,  notice  is  given 
in  the  office,  and  it  is  repaired — repaired  so  artis- 
tically that  no  signs  of  repair  are  visible.  When  an 
article  is  worn  out,  it  is  replaced  by  a  new  one.  Mali- 
cious damage  can  be  stopped  at  once  by  the  board  of 
managers.  But  a  rational  being  never  does  anything 
so  senseless.  Of  course,  children  occasionally  destroy 
things,  but  that  will  happen  as  long  as  there  are  chil- 
dren." 

"What  has  become  of  the  servant  question?"  I 
inquired. 

"  We  have  no  servants  in  that  sense  of  the  word. 
Every  woman  cares  for  her  own  house;  that  is,  the 
four  rooms  of  her  apartment,  and  cleans  them  daily. 
Of  course,  we  have  the  best  arrangements  for  clean- 
ing that  man  has  been  able  to  devise.     In  the  base- 


A    LARGE    FAMILY  129 

ment  are  machines  which  beat  and  clean  our  hangings 
and  carpets.  In  every  anteroom  is  to  be  found,  in  a 
recess  of  the  wall,  everything  necessary  for  cleaning 
our  rooms  quickly  and  thoroughly.  Thus,  for  in- 
stance, the  care  of  my  own  rooms  takes  me  about 
one  hour  a  day.  Of  course,  such  work  must  be  done 
systematically.  There  is  no  occasion  for  soiling  one's 
self.  Outside  of  our  own  apartments,  we  alternate 
weekly  in  such  a  way  that  every  woman  takes  part  in 
the  cleaning  of  her  own  floor  only  every  fourth  week. 
In  addition,  we  have  the  gardens  and  those  portions 
of  the  street  adjoining  the  hotel  to  care  for." 

"  I  notice  that  the  trees  in  front  of  us  are  fruit  trees. 
Who  gathers  the  fruit?  " 

"  We  do,  of  course.  We  use  narrow,  ladder-Hke 
machines  made  of  iron,  fixed  on  a  base  which  runs  on 
wheels.  With  our  long  shears  we  clip  off  the  fruit, 
which  falls  into  a  net  spread  out  to  receive  it.  Fruit- 
gathering,  Hke  the  cultivation  of  flowers,  is  a  favorite 
occupation,  and  w'e  look  upon  it  as  pastime,  not 
work." 

"  Who  are  the  administrative  ofiflcers  of  your  ho- 
tels?" 

"  The  most  important  position  is  that  of  manager. 
Then  we  have  a  head  cook,  a  butler,  a  manager  of 
the  laundry,  a  postmistress,  who  also  has  charge  of 
the  telegraph  and  telephone  service,  a  librarian,  a 
musical  director,  who  also  has  charge  of  the  orches- 
trion and  pianos,  a  principal  of  the  play  schools,  a 
9 


130  TEE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

gardener,  and  a  directress  of  entertainments.  The 
post  of  greatest  honor  and  responsibility  is  that  of 
manager,  and  we  elect  our  manager  annually,  by  bal- 
lot, at  the  regular  meeting  in  our  council  chamber. 
No  one  is  chosen  to  the  same  office  twice,  and,  as  a 
rule,  preference  is  given  to  the  elderly,  though  girls 
are  usually  employed  as  assistants,  that  they  may 
benefit  by  the  experience." 

"  But  I  thought  the  girls  were  occupied  in  school." 
"  This  work  is  part  of  their  regular  course,   to- 
gether with  field  work,  the  education  and  bringing  up 
of  children,  nursing  the  sick,  bookkeeping,  sewing, 
cooking,  and  many  other  branches." 

"  Have  you  any  central  board  of  government  for 
all  the  city  hotels?" 

"  Yes,  a  board  of  supervisors,  elected  for  one  year, 
each  supervisor  chosen  by  a  group  of  one  hundred 
managers.  These  supervisors  meet  at  the  City  Hall 
regularly  once  a  month  under  the  direction  of  a 
.supervisor-general  chosen  by  themselves.  The  posi- 
tions are  purely  honorary,  are  open  to  every  woman, 
and  do  not  exempt  the  holders  from  the  performance 
of  their  ordinary  work,  nor  do  they  bring  any  ad- 
ditional privileges.  The  honor  is  the  sole  compen- 
sation." 

"  How  many  hours  a  day  does  a  woman  work?  " 
"  About  three;  one  hour  in  her  own  apartment,  and 
not   more   than   two   in   other   parts    of   the   hotel. 
Nearly  all  of  us  have  other  pursuits,  however,  to 


A    LARGE    FAMILY  131 

which  we  devote  our  spare  time.  Thus,  for  instance, 
our  next-door  neighbor  works  four  hours  daily  in 
the  shoe  factory,  and  in  his  leisure  time  writes  and 
lectures  on  literature  in  one  of  our  universities.  His 
wife  teaches  in  school.  His  three-year-old  son  is 
taken  care  of  in  the  play  school  during  his  mother's 
absence;  her  daughter,  a  girl  of  eleven,  attends  her 
own  school  from  nine  in  the  morning  until  five  in  the 
afternoon.  And  both  children,  although  not  all  the 
time  under  the  eyes  of  their  mother,  are  well-behaved 
and  obedient." 

"  In  my  days,"  I  remarked,  "  a  woman  who  was  not 
able  to  keep  a  servant,  had  little  time  for  anything 
beside  her  housework  and  the  care  of  her  children. 
These  two  duties  were  apt  to  keep  her  hard  at  work 
from  morning  to  night." 

"  And  even  then,"  added  Mrs.  Donnelly,  "  her 
work  may  have  been  only  half  done." 

"  Are  all  your  hotels  managed  in  the  same  way?  " 

"  In  general,  yes.  But  we  have  hotels  for  bache- 
lors, for  spinsteps,  for  widows,  and  for  widowers.  In 
these,  each  person  has  one  room,  arranged  like  your 
own,  and  each  hotel  accommodates  a  thousand  peo- 
ple.    Both  men  and  women  do  their  own  work." 

"  Women  teach  now,  no  doubt,  as  they  did  for- 
merly?" 

"  Yes,  a  most  important  branch  of  their  work  is  the 
education  of  children.  This  is  also  organized.  The 
teacher  in  the  play  school,  on  passing  an  examina- 


132  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

tion,  is  promoted  into  the  public  school.  The  pub- 
lic-school teachers  elect  their  own  head  mistresses. 
By  passing  a  further  examination  any  teacher  may 
become  a  professor,  and  then,  by  election,  may  reach 
the  position  of  president  of  the  girls'  department  of 
a  university.  These  presidents  choose  from  their 
own  ranks  a  president-general,  who  is  at  the  head  of 
all  the  girls'  schools  in  the  city,  and  who  has  her  of- 
fice in  the  City  Hall.  Thus  it  is  with  nurses  who 
by  passing  examinations  may  become  doctors,  and 
by  election  may  attain  the  position  of  head  physician, 
or  even  that  of  president  of  the  entire  corps  of  female 
physicians  of  a  city.  Similar  organization  exists 
among  actresses,  singers,  novelists,  and  all  other  pro- 
fessions. In  all  these  cases  age  plays  an  important 
part.  Play  school  teachers  must  be  at  least  twenty 
years  of  age;  public  school  teachers  twenty-five;  pro- 
fessors, doctors,  editors,  thirty;  presidents  of  univer- 
sities and  head  doctors,  forty.  The  general  man- 
ager of  the  hotels,  the  president-general  of  educa- 
tional institutions,  and  the  president  of  the  doctors 
are  generally  over  fifty  when  they  are  elected." 

"  Is  the  rule  the  same  in  the  case  of  men?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  What  other  departments  are  under  the  charge  of 
women?  " 

"  The  public  parks,  all  the  work  connected  with 
which,  if  not  too  much  for  their  strength,  is  done  by 
women,  and  various  branches  of  husbandry.     Every- 


A    LARGE   FAMILY  133 

where,  in  the  city,  the  State,  the  confederation  of 
the  States,  and  throughout  the  continent  you  will 
find  man  and  woman  working  as  equals.  Woman  no 
longer  antagonizes  man,  but  peacefully  toils  at  his 
side,  and  in  her  own  sphere  contributes  to  the  gen- 
eral good." 

"  You  give  a  splendid  picture  of  the  work  of 
woman,  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I  remarked,  as  she  con- 
cluded, "  and  as  yet  I  can  hardly  comprehend  it  all, 
though  I  am  beginning  to  understand  the  spirit  that 
actuates  the  woman  to-day.  You  may  be  sure  I  shall 
have  abundant  food  for  thought  during  the  next  few 
hours," 

I  took  my  leave  and  passed  to  my  own  apartment, 
where  I  proceeded  to  investigate  my  immediate  sur- 
roundings more  in  detail. 

First  I  visited  the  large  bathroom,  which  lay  near 
my  chamber.  On  one  side  were  six  divisions,  con- 
taining each  a  bath  tub  and  shower  bath,  while  on  the 
other  were  the  steam  bathroom,  and  the  room  for 
scouring  clothes.  From  sheer  curiosity  I  entered 
this  last  room,  after  I  had  taken  my  bath.  There 
I  found,  enclosed  in  a  massive  case  of  glass,  a  large 
machine  furnished  with  rods  and  brushes  on  rollers. 
In  order  to  see  how  it  operated,  I  opened  the  glass 
case,  and,  not  without  difificulty,  succeeded  at  last  in 
fixing  my  coat  therein.  Then  I  replaced  the  lid,  and 
w'aited  to  see  what  would  happen;  but  the  machine 
remained  motionless.     I  examined  the  case.     Sure 


134  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

enough,  at  the  side  I  discovered  several  buttons.  I 
turned  one  of  them  at  random,  and  my  coat  began  to 
move,  the  rods  beat  it  and  the  brushes  whizzed  mer- 
rily, while  a  strong  current  of  air,  entering  through 
a  tube,  drove  out  the  dust.  I  turned  another  button, 
and  the  machine  stood  still.  I  took  out  my  coat. 
There  was  not  a  speck  of  dust  on  it,  and  it  smelled, 
so  to  speak,  of  the  fresh  air  which  had  been  blown 
through  it  during  the  process.  Connected  with  this 
machine  was  another,  the  use  of  which  I  discovered 
by  similar  investigation,  for  removing  stains  and 
grease-spots. 

My  bathing  and  my  experiments  concluded,  I  went 
back  to  my  room.  To  my  surprise  I  found  clean 
linen  lying  on  a  chair  in  such  a  position  that  I  could 
not  fail  to  observe  it,  evidently  an  attention  on  the 
part  of  Mrs.  Donnelly.  I  looked  at  the  clock,  and 
saw  that  it  was  four.  I  put  on  the  fresh  linen,  and, 
my  toilet  completed,  regarded  myself  contentedly  in 
the  mirror,  and  decided  that  I  was  not  at  all  amiss. 
So,  issuing  from  my  room,  I  sought  again  the  presi- 
dent's apartments.     He  was  at  home. 

"  You  are  just  in  time,  Mr.  Burnham,"  he  ex- 
claimed. "  We  can  go  to  the  office  now,  if  you  like, 
and  order  your  outfit." 

We  took  an  elevator  to  the  first  floor,  and,  having 
crossed  the  court  garden,  entered  the  office  and  pro- 
ceeded to  the  room  where  men's  orders  were  taken. 
On  the  walls  hung  framed  pictures  in  colors,  showing 


A    LARGE   FAMILY  135 

the  garments,  down  to  the  smallest  detail,  and  on 
the  table  in  the  middle  of  the  room  lay  sample  books, 
as  well  as  a  big  order  book.  We  drew  our  chairs  to 
the  table  and  opened  the  order  book. 

"  First  jot  down  the  number  of  your  apartment, 
then  the  articles  and  the  colors  desired,  and  your 
measurements.  Your  measurements  I  know.  It  re- 
mains for  you  to  select  the  colors.  Here  are  the 
sample  books.  Suit  your  own  taste.  If  you  hap- 
pen ever  to  be  in  doubt  as  to  your  measure,  all  that 
you  have  to  do  is  to  use  that  wire  figure  yonder. 
Every  rib  and  stay  has  measurements  marked  on  it. 
Adjust  the  figure  to  your  person,  so  that  the  wire 
frame  fits  comfortably,  and  you  will  find  your  meas- 
ures accurately  indicated." 

In  about  an  hour  my  entire  outfit  was  noted  down. 

"  Now  we  have  ordered  all  the  clothing  you  will 
need  for  half  a  year,"  said  the  president,  as  he  laid 
down  the  pen,  "  and  you  will  receive  it  all  to-mor- 
row." 

I  expressed  my  surprise  at  the  number  of  articles 
ordered.  Laughingly  he  answered :  "  Did  you  think 
we  were  going  to  stint  you  in  the  matter  of  clothes?  " 

"  Scarcely,"  I  replied,  "  but  after  what  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly told  me  about  the  fixed  quantity  allowed  each 
individual,  I  had  not  expected  such  a  liberal  allow- 
ance." 

"  Certainly  a  quantity  is  fixed,  but  that  quantity  is 
so  generous  that  it  would  scarcely  be  possible  to  ex- 


136  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

ceed  it,  unless  there  was  a  wilful  destruction  of  ap- 
parel. And  naturally  no  reasonable  man  would 
dream  of  doing  anything  so  stupid.  We  have  simply 
put  a  stop  to  changing  fashions.  But  now  let  us  find 
our  manager,  so  that  you  may  get  your  passport  man- 
ual." 

He  rose,  and  although  I  did  not  know  what  he 
meant  by  a  passport  manual,  yet  I  followed  him  into 
the  elegant  private  office  of  the  hotel  manager. 
There,  at  a  large,  wide  table,  littered  with  papers, 
sat  an  elderly  lady,  dressed  very  plainly.  At  an- 
other table  not  far  from  her  were  two  young  girls, 
bending  over  books  diligently  writing  and  comput- 
ing. As  we  entered  all  three  raised  their  heads,  and 
the  eldefly  lady  rose  and  came  forward  smilingly  to 
greet  us. 

"  You  are  very  kind,  Mr.  Donnelly,  to  bring  our 
visitor  here.     Pray  be  seated,  gentlemen." 

"  We  will  not  detain  you  long,"  replied  the  presi- 
dent. "  We  came  to  fill  out  Mr.  Burnham's  pass- 
port." 

The  manager  walked  quickly  to  a  closet,  unlocked 
it  and  took  out  a  small  book  bound  in  leather,  which 
she  handed  to  the  president. 

"  Here  it  is.     The  hotel  register  is  on  the  table." 

"  We  will  fill  out  the  hotel  register  first,"  said  the 
president,  as  we  seated  ourselves  at  the  table. 

"  In  this  book  are  the  numbers  of  every  apartment 
in  the  house,"  he  began.     "  Here  is  the  number  of 


A    LARGE   FAMILY  137 

your  room.  Please  write  your  full  name  in  the  first 
column;  in  the  next,  your  birthplace  and  day  and 
year  of  birth.  '  Position  ' — leave  that  blank  for  the 
present.  Now  for  your  last  place  of  residence,  put 
'  Washington  University,  New  York.'  Other  men 
of  course  note  the  town  and  hotel  where  they  last  re- 
sided. Under  '  Date  of  Entrance  '  put  to-day.  *  Re- 
moved— where  '  and  '  Deceased  '  you  do  not  need  to 
trouble  about  at  present.  In  case  you  leave  the 
house,  you  are  expected  to  fill  out  the  first  two; 
should  you  die,  the  manager  will  fill  out  the  last. 
That  completes  the  entries." 

We  bade  good-by  to  the  manager,  and  passed  into 
one  of  the  writing-rooms  which  adjoined  the  library. 
There  we  seated  ourselves  at  a  table,  and  the  president 
continued : 

"  A  register  is  kept  in  every  hotel  the  whole  world 
over.  No  matter  where  you  may  go,  you  must  fur- 
nish a  complete  answer  to  all  the  questions  of  the 
register,  and  sometimes  must  show  your  passport. 
This  passport  is  our  most  important  document. 
Every  human  being  receives  one,  and  is  expected  to 
take  good  care  of  it,  and  to  be  careful  throughout  his 
life  to  have  the  necessary  entries  made  in  it.  This 
little  leather-bound  book  is  such  a  passport.  You  see 
it  contains  one  hundred  thin  parchment  leaves,  or 
two  hundred  pages.  These  two  hundred  pages  give 
quite  space  enough  for  the  most  widely  travelled  man 
to  make  all  the  necessary  entries  from  the  day  of  his 


138  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

birth.  On  the  first  page  is  the  owner's  photograph. 
Then  follow  the  names  of  his  parents,  his  own  name, 
place  and  date  of  birth,  and  dwelling.  These  par- 
ticulars are  entered  by  the  manager  of  the  hotel  in 
which  he  is  born,  or  by  the  head  doctor  if  he  is  born 
in  any  other  institution.  The  pages  following  con- 
tain short  notes  concerning  his  school  years,  his  prog- 
ress and  acquirements,  and  this  information  is  filled 
in  by  the  school  officials.  Then  comes  the  marriage 
date,  entered  by  the  manager  of  the  hotel.  Next  the 
positions  he  has  filled,  and  the  undertakings  of  im- 
portance which  he  has  accomplished.  These  entries 
are  made  by  the  officials  of  the  factories,  farms, 
schools,  or  studios.  Here,  too,  are  entered  all  the 
journeys  made,  changes  of  dwelling,  names  of  chil- 
dren, illnesses,  misdemeanors,  and  penalties  paid,  if 
any — in  short,  everything  that  is  of  any  importance. 
Every  five  years  a  new  photograph  of  the  owner 
must  be  added.  This  book  accompanies  its  posses- 
sor from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  It  contains  the 
story  of  his  life,  and  is  his  best  friend  if  ever  he  gets 
into  trouble." 

"  How  are  the  photographs  taken?  " 

"  The  official  city  photographer  has  his  office  in 
the  City  Hall,  and  every  citizen  must  go  to  him  to  be 
photographed  once  every  five  years.  In  a  few  sec- 
onds a  lifelike  photograph  in  natural  colors  is  taken, 
and  two  days  later  one  may  obtain  a  dozen  copies. 
One  of  these  is  inserted  in  the  passport,  another  is 


A    LARGE   FAMILY  139 

kept  by  the  management  of  his  hotel,  and  with  the 
remaining  ten  one  can  do  as  he  will.  Here  is  my  own 
passport." 

I  took  the  little  book  which  the  president  drew 
from  his  pocket,  and,  opening  it,  gazed  in  amazement 
at  the  portraits  it  contained.  He  had  spoken  of 
them  as  photographs.  They  rather  resembled  paint- 
ings— living  paintings.  In  that  photograph  which 
depicted  the  president  as  he  sat  before  me  at  that 
moment  all  the  details,  the  color  of  the  clothing,  the 
eyes,  the  hair,  the  cheeks,  were  so  real  and  lifelike, 
that  I  could  scarcely  turn  my  eyes  away. 

Good-humoredly  the  president  watched  my  look  of 
surprise.  "  Now  you  can  understand  the  value  of  the 
passport.  With  it  one  can  go  from  one  end  of  the 
earth  to  the  other,  without  fear  of  molestation,  al- 
ways able  to  give  an  account  of  himself.  In  case 
of  loss  a  duplicate  is  promptly  supplied.  If  a  man 
comes  in  conflict  with  our  laws,  the  destruction  of  his 
passport  will  not  help  in  the  least.  Our  photo-tele- 
graph flashes  his  picture  all  over  the  earth  in  a  few 
hours,  and  in  a  short  time  we  are  in  possession  of  all 
the  information  which  we  require.  But  enough  of 
that.  You  will  soon  learn  from  closer  observation 
the  extreme  value  of  this  little  book.  For  the  pres- 
ent, just  fill  in  the  second  page,  the  names  of  your 
parents,  your  own  name,  and  when  and  where  you 
were  born.  To-morrow  morning  we  will  go  to  the 
City  Hall  and  have  you  photographed." 


140  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

Six  o'clock  sounded.  We  rose,  and,  passing  into 
the  corridor,  joined  the  throng  which,  amid  a  chatter 
of  animated  conversation,  was  slowly  moving  toward 
the  dining-room.  There  Mrs.  Donnelly  awaited  us, 
and  we  took  our  places  at  the  table.  But  the  supper 
scarcely  interested  me.  My  eyes  maintained  an  un- 
interrupted patrol  of  the  hall,  throughout  its  length 
and  breadth,  but  nowhere,  during  the  entire  meal, 
did  they  rest  upon  the  purple  lashes  and  the  mocking 
smile  of  Miss  Pauline  Donnelly. 


VIII 


A   ROSE 


The  great  drawing-room  of  the  hotel  was  filled 
with  movement  and  light  and  music  as  we  passed 
through  the  folding  doors  that  opened  into  it  from 
the  dining-hall,  and  looked  about  us  to  see  where 
amid  the  laughing,  shifting  groups  we  should  take 
our  places. 

Abstractedly  I  gazed  about  me  at  the  friendly  but 
unfamiliar  faces,  feeling  a  sense  of  unreality  in  my 
position,  hardly  noting  the  movements  of  my  hosts, 
whose  steps  I  nevertheless  instinctively  followed. 

"  Is  Mr,  Burnham  still  in  the  midst  of  his  long 
sleep,  or  have  his  new  acquaintances  made  so  little 
impression  that  they  are  already  forgotten  ?  " 

I  glanced  quickly  in  the  direction  from  which  came 
the  familiar,  low,  vibrating  tones.  Miss  Donnelly,  a 
look  of  frank  amusement  on  her  face,  was  standing 
almost  at  my  shoulder,  her  eyes  more  fathomless 
than  ever,  her  lashes  more  purple,  her  lips  more 
crimson,  and  a  freshly  plucked  red  rose  nestling  in 
the  coils  of  her  dark  hair. 

"  Miss  Donnelly,"  I  said.  "  have  you  ever  lain  in  a 
half-sleep,  to  be  roused  by  what  seemed  a  strain  of 


142  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

heavenly  music,  something  unearthly  sweet,  the  voice 
of  some  unseen  angel?  " 

"  You  mean  the  orchestrion,  I  suppose.  In  that 
case  you  may  hear  your  angel  as  long  as  you  like,  for 
we  have  music  here  all  this  evening." 

"  But  my  angel  became  visible  at  once ;  I  had  only 
to  turn  my  head.  And  I  hope  you  have  no  idea  of 
remaining  silent." 

"  That  would  be  hard  indeed.  No,  I  fear  I  must 
speak  occasionally.  But  there's  the  bell.  We  must 
not  talk  during  the  performances,  you  know." 

The  tinkle  of  a  little  bell  was  heard,  and  the 
laughter  and  conversation  stopped  at  once.  With  a 
momentary  bustle  and  a  movement  of  chairs  the  au- 
dience became  seated.  Then  an  instant's  hush  in- 
tervened, and  with  the  sweep  and  onslaught  of  a 
mighty  orchestra  the  great  orchestrion  burst  into 
the  opening  strains  of  Beethoven's  "  Overture  to 
Leonora." 

"  It  is  difBcult  not  to  believe  myself  back  in  the 
old  days,"  I  said,  after  the  few  instants'  silence  that 
followed  the  closing  measures,  "  except  when  I  in- 
stinctively look  up  to  catch  the  conductor's  beat,  or 
to  scrutinize  the  terraced  rows  of  players." 

"  Oh,  we  have  our  orchestras,  too,  and  very  good 
ones,"  replied  Miss  Donnelly.  "  Do  you  know,  if  I 
have  not  heard  music  for  some  days,  or  even  if  I 
have,  when  the  first  chord  of  the  orchestra  breaks 
on  my  ear,  it  has  the  most  curious  efifect?     It  is  all  I 


A   ROSE  143 

can  do  to  keep  from  bursting  into  a  fit  of  weeping. 
I  don't  know  what  it  is — just  the  sensuous  effect  of 
the  great  body  of  tone,  I  suppose.  But  it  makes 
every  nerve  in  one's  body  vibrate." 

Upon  the  Httle  platform  stepped  a  quartette  of 
singers,  who  gave  a  very  creditable  performance  of 
some  unaccompanied  part  songs.  After  them  came 
a  pianist,  to  whom,  as  well  as  to  the  singers,  I  list- 
ened in  silence.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  piano  num- 
ber I  turned  to  address  some  remark  to  my  com- 
panion, but  she  had  risen. 

"  I  will  come  back,  Mr.  Burnham,  if  you  will  be 
good  enough  to  keep  my  chair  for  me." 

To  my  considerable  surprise  she  proceeded  directly 
to  the  platform,  where  her  appearance  was  greeted 
by  a  ripple  of  applause.  From  the  orchestrion,  as 
from  a  concealed  orchestra,  came  some  measures  of 
prelude,  and  the  young  lady,  who  had  meantime  sa- 
luted her  audience  with  a  most  charming  and  un- 
affected grace,  attacked  the  beautifully  familiar  air  of 
Mozart's  "  Voi  che  sapete." 

Her  voice  was  a  light  soprano  of  agreeable  quality, 
her  vocalization  was  excellent,  and  her  stage  presence 
enhanced  her  natural  gifts  of  voice  and  person.  Al- 
together, her  performance  was  a  delightful  surprise 
to  me,  and  I  joined  with  vigor  in  the  tumultuous  ap- 
plause that  followed,  an  evidence  of  appreciation  on 
my  part  which  was  rewarded  by  a  slight  glance  in  my 


144  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

direction  as  the  young  lady  acknowledged  with  a 
courtesy  the  prolonged  clapping  of  hands. 

With  a  somewhat  heightened  color  she  swept  back 
through  the  seated  groups,  and  resumed  her  chair 
among  our  own  party. 

"  I  never  heard  that  beautiful  aria  better  sung, 
Miss  Donnelly,"  I  remarked,  "  and  I  have  heard  it 
fifty  times." 

"  It  is  dreadfully  familiar,  I  know,"  she  answered, 
as  she  tucked  back  within  the  mass  of  her  hair  a  few 
stray  curls  that  had  found  their  way  out.  "  But  I 
am  very  fond  of  it.  Mozart  will  never  grow  old. 
His  melodies  are  fresh  and  spontaneous  and  complete 
and  perfect.     There  is  no  bettering  them." 

As  she  concluded  I  was  suddenly  aware  of  some 
one  standing  at  our  side,  who  had  approached  un- 
noticed.    Miss  Donnelly  gave  a  little  start. 

"  You  sang  charmingly,  Pauline.  And  I  had  not 
seen  you  until  you  rose,  though  I  had  been  looking 
for  you  for  half  an  hour." 

It  was  a  man's  voice,  calm  and  distinct.  Across 
Miss  Donnelly's  face  there  passed  the  slightest  sug- 
gestion of  embarrassment,  as  she  replied,  very 
quickly,  "  Good-evening,  Ned.  Mr.  Burnham,  I 
want  to  present  Mr.  Faulkland." 

I  rose,  and  looked  into  the  quiet,  pleasant  face  of 
a  man  of  about  my  own  age.  His  eyes  were  gray, 
his  mouth  half  hidden  by  a  short,  pointed  beard,  his 
figure  slender  and  erect.     Somewhat  to  my  instinc- 


A   ROSE  145 

tive  disappointment  I  found  nothing  to  dislike  in 
him,  and  we  shook  hands  in  all  apparent  cordiality. 
He  turned  to  Mrs.  Donnelly  and  the  president,  who 
greeted  him  with  warmth. 

"  I  want  to  ask  your  advice,  Mr.  Faulkland,"  said 
the  elder  lady.  "  What  shall  we  do  to-night  ?  This 
is  Mr.  Burnham's  first  evening,  as  you  know,  and  we 
want  to  employ  it  in  showing  him  whatever  will  in- 
terest him  most." 

"  There  is  the  theatre,"  he  replied.  "  We  might 
select  the  opera,  but  this  is  not  an  opera  night,  I  be- 
lieve." 

"  But  perhaps  it  is  too  late  to  get  good  seats,"  I 
interposed. 

"  Dear  me,  Mr.  Burnham,"  said  Miss  Donnelly, 
"  you  surely  don't  suppose  we  have  to  buy  our  tick- 
ets." 

"  Pray,  how  do  you  get  them?  " 

"  Do  you  remember  those  two  round  boxes  that 
stand  in  the  entrance  hall,  near  the  door?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  all  you  need  to  do  is  to  put  in  your  thumb 
and  pull  out  a  plum,  in  the  shape  of  a  numbered 
check,  and  there  you  have  your  theatre  ticket." 

"  But  how  does  one  know  whether  he  is  getting  a 
good  seat?  " 

*'  He  doesn't  know ;  he  may  get  a  bad  seat.     We 
all  take  our  chances,  and  you.  as  a  betting  man,  ought 
to  be  the  last  to  find  fault  with  our  system." 
10 


146  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  I  admire  your  system.  It  is  the  essence  of  fair- 
ness. But  what  if  a  party  failed  to  draw  adjoining 
seats?  You  know  there  are  persons  who  prefer  to 
be  together." 

"  They  need  not  separate.  One  of  the  boxes  pro- 
vides for  that,  and  furnishes  seats  in  groups  for  those 
who  go  in  a  party." 

"  But  we  are  late,  are  we  not?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  president,  good-naturedly,  "  we 
should  be  rather  late.  Our  theatres  begin  at  seven. 
I  think  perhaps  they  would  better  be  reserved  for 
another  time." 

"  Then  I  propose,"  said  Miss  Donnelly,  "  that  we 
all  take  the  car  to  Battery  Park." 

Mrs.  Donnelly  looked  inquiringly  at  me. 

"  The  proposal  suits  me  perfectly,"  I  hastened  to 
afifirm. 

Without  further  discussion  we  left  the  drawing- 
room,  passed  through  the  colonnade,  emerged  upon 
the  street,  and,  a  few  minutes  later,  were  comfort- 
ably seated  in  a  big  electric  carriage,  speeding  down 
the  avenue. 

The  scene  on  either  side  passed  swiftly  like  a  pan- 
orama, the  brilliantly  Hghted  hotels,  their  balconies 
filled  with  animated  groups,  the  green  parks  with 
their  flower-bordered  walks  and  shaded  benches,  the 
ever-changing  parties  of  strollers,  from  whose  midst 
our  ears  caught  now  and  then  a  bit  of  song,  or  the 


A   ROSE  147 

tinkle  of  a  guitar — by  all  of  these  we  fHew  until  down- 
town was  reached  all  too  quickly. 

In  a  sweeping  curve  we  shot  past  the  City  Hall, 
a  tremendous  building  with  high  pillars  and  a  statue 
of  Justice  on  the  summit,  past  the  printing  offices, 
the  post  and  telegraph  office,  and  the  immense  city 
warehouses,  until  our  carriage  moved  more  slowly, 
and  we  found  ourselves  within  a  splendid  garden 
with  stretches  of  green  grass,  broad  avenues,  statues, 
trees  and  flowers,  and  in  its  midst  a  great  fountain 
bordered  by  graceful  marble  figures. 

"  Here  is  Battery  Park,"  remarked  Mrs.  Donnelly. 

We  had  almost  reached  the  water's  edge.  Curv- 
ing along  the  bank  ran  a  broad,  covered  colonnade, 
with  marble  benches  and  statues  here  and  there,  and 
descending  steps  against  which  the  water  plashed. 

"  This  colonnade  runs  eastward  as  far  as  old  Brook- 
lyn Bridge,"  the  president  explained,  "  and  on  the 
west  up  to  the  site  of  old  Park  Place." 

A  little  at  our  right,  and  extending  from  the  col- 
onnade out  some  distance  into  the  water,  lay  a  wide 
quay,  apparently  of  marble  or  some  white  stone,  and 
at  its  side,  sparkling  with  rows  of  lights  along  their 
lower  decks,  floated  several  good-sized  vessels,  up 
whose  comfortable  gangways  hurried  parties  of  ex- 
cursionists, anxious  to  secure  their  favorite  positions 
before  the  crowd  became  too  great. 

With  one  accord  we  descended  from  our  carriage 
and  followed  the  stream  of  passengers  up  the  gang- 


148  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

plank  of  the  nearest  vessel.  There,  on  the  second 
deck,  surrounded  by  swinging  lig'hts  and  within 
sound  of  some  rather  tempting  music,  we  took 
our  seats,  while  Mr.  Faulkland  and  the  president 
descended  to  the  refreshment  room,  whence  they 
shortly  returned  with  a  liberal  supply  of  ginger  ale, 
sandwiches,  and  fruit. 

"  We  have  no  alcoholic  drinks  on  board,  you 
know,"  explained  the  president. 

A  whistle  blew,  the  gangplank  was  hauled  back, 
the  boat  cast  off,  and  we  shot  into  the  stream.  At 
the  same  time  the  music  struck  up  a  livelier  air,  and 
in  the  cleared  space  in  the  centre  of  the  boat  dancers 
appeared,  and  the  circling  couples  grew  and  grew  as 
the  music  and  the  night  and  the  free  air  spread  their 
glamour  over  the  assemblage.  Almost  at  our  side 
whirled  the  dancing  couples,  and  now  and  then  a  nod 
or  a  word  of  recognition  reached  us  from  some  pair 
that  flashed  swiftly  through  our  line  of  vision. 

"  I  don't  like  this  confusion,"  said  Miss  Donnelly, 
"  and  this  deck  above  our  heads.  I  want  to  get 
nearer  to  the  night  and  to  the  water." 

"  Let  me  take  you  to  the  upper  deck,"  I  offered 
quickly. 

We  passed  through  the  crowd,  mounted  the  stair- 
way, and  stepped  out  on  the  broad  upper  deck,  as 
yet  only  thinly  occupied  by  passengers.  The  night 
was  absolutely  quiet.  The  sky  was  cloudless  and 
star-studded.     Our  boat  shot  through  the  water  with- 


A   ROSE  149 

out  a  sound,  without  a  suggestion  of  machinery  or 
effort.  On  both  sides  the  water  lay,  not  motionless, 
but  moving  quietly  in  little  waves  edged  with  lines 
of  light.  Ahead,  to  right  and  left,  lay  the  dark  out- 
lines of  the  land,  shutting  in  the  Narrows  into  which 
we  were  about  to  enter. 

We  went  forward  to  the  bow,  and  took  our  seats 
at  the  extreme  end,  next  the  rail. 

"  How  splendid  it  is,  to  shoot  through  the  water 
like  this !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Donnelly,  "  or  rather 
through  the  air.  We  look  ahead,  we  see  nothing 
behind  us  or  beside  us.     It  is  almost  like  flying." 

"  And  how  clear  the  stars  are !  "  I  said.  "  It  is 
the  elemental  things,  like  sky  and  ocean,  that  rest  us 
most  and  bring  us  closest  to  eternity.  We  can  al- 
most believe  the  stars  are  hung  there  as  a  sign  that 
we  must  look  beyond  our  own  small  selves.  They 
teach  us  unselfishness." 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  "  they  teach  us  that.  But 
stars,  and  ocean,  too,  are  so  distant  and  so  lonely !  I 
am  afraid  I  could  never  feel  anything  but  melancholy 
if  I  looked  at  them  long,  by  myself.  We  need  people 
— some  of  us  do — some  one  like  ourselves,  that  we 
can  understand." 

"But  do  we  understand?  Is  there  any  one  you 
feel  sure  you  understand?  " 

"  Not  altogether;  and  less  and  less  as  I  grow  older. 
Think  how  hard  it  is  to  understand  ourselves.     We 


150  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

are  fifty  persons  in  one  day — and  yet  I  try  hard  to 
be  consistent." 

"  But,  nevertheless,  with  all  our  uncertainty  about 
ourselves  and  others,  we  need  the  others,  don't  we?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  so." 

She  had  taken  ofif  her  hat,  and  the  breeze  caught 
her  loose  hair,  and  tossed  the  curls  in  fantastic  shapes 
about  her  head. 

"  Your  hair  is  like  waving  snakes,"  I  said.  "  You 
are  Medusa!  Have  pity!  Let  me  not  die  because 
I  have  looked  on  your  face." 

She  laughed. 

"  I  tried  in  vain  to  find  you  at  supper  to-night,"  I 
continued.     "  Where  were  you?  " 

"  It  was  only  accident  that  I  was  in  your  dining- 
room  this  morning,"  she  replied,  "  simply  that  it  hap- 
pened to  be  my  day  for  teaching  the  children.  I  live 
in  a  spinster's  hotel,  you  know." 

"A  spinster's  hotel?" 

"  Yes,  we  unmarried  women  live  by  ourselves." 

"  Do  you  enjoy  it?  " 

"  We  may  sometimes  think  we  don't.  In  reality, 
I  believe  we  do." 

"  Your  hotel  must  be  very  attractive." 

"  Not  very;  just  comfortable,  like  your  own  quar- 
ters. It  is  only  the  married  people  who  are  entitled 
to  luxury.  We  put  a  premium  on  matrimony,  you 
see." 

"  Is  it  entitled  to  one?" 


A    ROSE  151 

"  I  don't  know.  But  I  like  my  hotel,  and  I  may 
live  there  all  my  life."  She  spoke  soberly,  in  a  low 
voice,  looking  down  into  the  water. 

*'  Miss  Donnelly,"  I  said,  "  how  can  you  be  so  un- 
like the  girl  I  thought  you  when  I  met  you  first  this 
morning?  You  make  me  uncertain  as  to  my  own 
sentiments.  I  expected  to  find  you  frivolous  and 
amusing." 

"  I  know  you  thought  me  horribly  frivolous.  I 
am.     I  told  you  I  am  fifty  persons  in  one  day." 

"  You  mean  you  seem  to  be." 

"  Perhaps." 

"  And  which  is  the  real  person?  " 

"  The  frivolous  one." 

"  I  think  not.  If  there  were  some  one  who  knew 
you — knew  you  really — and  perhaps  was  a  little  like 
yourself,  so  that  he  understood  how  you  felt  with- 
out asking,  would  he  find  the  woman  he  loved  frivo- 
lous?" 

"  Why  must  it  be  '  he,'  and  why  must  he  love  me?  " 

"  It  must  be  so  in  this  case.     I  assume  it  to  be." 

She  did  not  answer. 

"  I  think  your  rose  will  fall,"  I  said. 

She  put  up  her  hand  and  took  the  flower  from  her 
hair,  then  held  it  carelessly  while,  with  elbow  rest- 
ing on  the  rail,  she  gazed  abstractedly  over  the  cloud- 
like mingling  of  sky  and  water  at  the  horizon  line. 
The  breeze  blew  fresh  into  our  faces.     I  put  out  my 


152  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

own  hand  and  took  the  rose  from  her  unresisting 
fingers.     She  did  not  turn  her  face. 

"  You  may  have  it,"  she  said. 

I  inhaled  its  perfume,  touched  it  to  my  hps,  then 
thrust  it  into  the  pocket  of  my  coat. 

The  boat  was  turning  in  a  great  circle.  The 
breeze  no  longer  blew  against  us.  I  heard  the  noise 
of  approaching  footsteps,  and  in  a  moment  Mr. 
Faulkland's  voice  spoke  out  of  the  obscurity. 

"Pauline!  Ah,  yes,  it  is  you.  Mrs.  Donnelly 
sent  me  to  say  that  you  will  find  us  on  the  lower  deck 
when  you  come  down." 

"  We  are  coming  now,  Ned.  How  quickly  this 
boat  goes !  We  are  almost  home  again.  Please  take 
my  hat  for  a  minute." 

With  raised  hands  she  restored  some  semblance  of 
order  to  her  wind-tossed  hair,  then  rose,  and  we 
slowly  moved  toward  the  stairway,  picked  our  way 
through  the  seated  groups,  and  rejoined  the  presi- 
dent and  his  wife,  who,  wath  some  friends,  were  seated 
comfortably  in  a  secluded  corner  of  the  lower  deck. 

"  Here  come  the  deserters,"  cried  Mrs.  Donnelly, 
with  a  laugh.  "  Well,  Pauline,  did  you  explain  to 
Mr.  Burnham  all  the  points  of  interest,  and  show  him 
where  the  forts  on  the  Narrows  used  to  be,  and  tell 
him  how  Staten  Island  has  been  improved?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  I  forgot  all  those  things,"  replied  the 
girl,  hesitatingly,  "  but  the  night  was  perfect,  and  the 
water  glorious." 


A   ROSE  163 

**  Mr.  Faulkland  has  been  telling  us,"  added  the 
president,  "  of  the  trial  of  his  new  airship,  which  is  to 
take  place  to-morrow  afternoon,  and  has  asked  us 
all  to  go.  I  have  already  been  invited  as  president 
of  the  university,  but  I  am  sure  it  will  be  a  new  and 
pleasant  experience  for  Mr.  Burnham." 

"  I  shall  be  delighted,"  I  said. 

"  The  airship  is  really  not  my  invention,"  interposed 
Mr.  Faulkland.  "  It  represents  the  labor  of  many 
men.  I  simply  devised  some  changes  in  the  ma- 
chinery, and  shall  act  as  engineer  to-morrow.  But  I 
hope  you  will  all  go  if  you  feel  interested." 

"  I  think  it  will  be  jolly,"  Miss  Donnelly  remarked, 
"  provided  you  will  be  responsible  for  our  safety.  I 
should  hardly  care  to  drop  suddenly  when  we  were 
a  mile  or  two  in  the  air." 

"  There  can  be  no  danger,"  he  replied.  "  We  be- 
lieve that  in  this  vessel  we  have  solved  the  problem  of 
air  navigation  under  all  conditions." 

By  this  time  we  were  nearing  the  Battery,  and  the 
great  city,  with  its  myriads  of  scintillating  lights,  was 
growing  more  distinct  before  us.  Gliding  quietly  in 
beside  the  quay,  our  boat  stopped  easily,  without 
shock,  the  gangplanks  were  run  out,  and  we  took  our 
places  in  the  procession  of  disembarking  passengers. 
Electric  carriages  were  waiting,  and  without  crowd- 
ing or  hurry  we  found  convenient  seats,  and  were 
soon  speeding  back  along  the  broad  avenue  down 
which  we  had  come  an  hour  or  two  before. 


154  TEE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

Almost  before  I  realized  it,  our  destination  was 
reached,  the  car  stopped,  and  we  descended.  For  a 
moment  we  stood  grouped.  Miss  Donnelly  spoke 
first: 

"  Come,  Ned,  are  you  going  home  with  me?  Take- 
my  jacket,  please." 

She  extended  her  hand  to  me.  "  Good-night,  Mr. 
Burnham,  I  have  enjoyed  my  evening." 

"  Good-night,  Miss  Donnelly."  I  looked  straight 
into  her  eyes,  which  had  no  laughter  in  them,  and  no 
trace  of  a  smile  was  on  her  lips. 

She  turned,  and  they  were  gone.  The  president, 
his  wife  and  I  walked  briskly  toward  the  hotel. 

"  Pauline  is  a  lovely  girl,"  remarked  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly, "  though  a  trifle  independent.  But  perhaps 
marriage  will  make  her  more  serious.  She  will  have 
a  good  husband  in  Mr.  Faulkland." 

"A  husband!" 

"  Yes.  They  have  been  engaged,  you  know,  for 
more  than  a  year.  Mr,  Faulkland  is  anxious  to  be 
married,  but  Pauline  seems  not  quite  ready,  though 
I  urge  her  not  to  wait  too  long.  Well,  here  we  are. 
Good-night.    We  shall  see  you  in  the  morning." 

"  Good-night." 

Once  in  my  room,  I  took  from  my  pocket  the  rose, 
still  fresh,  in  spite  of  the  vicissitudes  to  which  it  had 
been  subjected,  and,  with  a  sentiment  of  bitterness 
which  I  did  not  stop  to  analyze,  flung  it  among  the 
waste  papers  on  my  dressing-table.     A  moment  later 


A   ROSE  155 

I  picked  it  up,  rearranged  its  disordered  petals,  and 
placed  it  carefully  in  a  glass  of  fresh  water  on  the 
corner  of  the  table  next  my  bed,  that  it  might  be  the 
last  object  to  leave  my  sight  and  the  first  to  greet 
me  when  my  eyelids  opened  under  the  morning  sun. 


IX 

LOOKING   BACKWARD 

My  second  day  dawned  bright.  I  rose  early,  and 
descended  to  the  breakfast  room  to  find  the  president 
and  his  wife  already  at  their  morning  meal.  With 
vigorous  appetite  I  attacked  my  breakfast,  which  I 
despatched  with  such  rapidity  that  I  finished  just 
as  my  two  companions  were  dipping  their  fingers  in 
the  silver  bowls  of  water  which  lay  before  them.  We 
all  rose  from  the  table  together. 

"  Shall  we  go  to  the  roof  garden  for  a  few  minutes, 
Mr.  Burnham?"  the  president  asked.  "The  view 
will  be  pleasant,  and  the  air  refreshing." 

I  assented  readily,  and  we  stepped  into  the  elevator, 
leaving  Mrs.  Donnelly  to  proceed  to  her  apartments. 
The  sun  was  not  yet  high  when  we  emerged  upon  the 
roof,  and  the  breeze  blew  fresh,  so  that  we  had  to 
keep  tight  hold  of  our  straw  hats.  Turning  on  my 
heel,  I  took  in  at  one  extended  glance  the  circular 
sweep  of  white  and  gold  and  green,  which  the  build- 
ings and  the  parks  and  gardens  offered  to  the  eye. 

"  What  tremendous  progress  has  been  made !  "  I 
exclaimed.  "  And  these  beauties  are  the  mere  ex- 
ternals.   Man  himself  has  grown  better  and  wiser." 


LOOKING    BACKWARD  157 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  president,  "  we  can  readily 
see  that  mankind  has  made  progress  and  has  grown 
better  and  more  rational.  I  do  not  believe,  for  one 
moment,  that  we  have  yet  reached  the  highest  stage, 
but  I  am  sure  that  our  posterity  will  attain  still 
greater  perfection,  and  we  can  look  with  pride  on 
what  has  been  already  accomplished.  Liberty, 
equality,  fraternity,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  words, 
are  ideals,  and  ideals  can  never  be  attained — they  can 
only  be  striven  after.  We  have  acquired  the  splendid 
gifts  of  God,  only  as  far  as  they  are  within  the  reach 
of  erring  human  nature.  However,  I  did  not  come 
here  to  inflict  a  lecture  on  you,  but  simply  to  bring 
you  a  copy  of  our  newspaper." 

With  these  words  he  handed  me  some  printed 
quarto  sheets,  at  which  I  stared  in  bewilderment,  for 
they  were  printed  in  characters  quite  unknown  to  me. 

"  I  told  you,  Mr.  Burnham,  that  you  could  scarcely 
read  our  newspapers.  They  are  all  printed  in  Eng- 
lish stenographic  script.  I  am  quite  sure  that  within 
a  month  you  can  read  and  write  it  perfectly,  as  our 
system  is  the  simplest  imaginable.  Have  you  noticed 
the  last  page  of  the  paper?  " 

I  turned  to  it  quickly  and  to  my  astonishment  saw 
a  lifelike  picture  in  natural  colors,  of  myself  as  I  lay 
on  the  couch  in  the  Washington  University.  The  en- 
tire last  page  seemed  to  be  devoted  to  my  case. 

"  The  newspaper  of  to-day  is  quite  different  from 
that  of  your  time,"  remarked  the  president.    "  There 


168  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

is  in  every  city  only  one  printing  establishment, 
where,  in  addition  to  books  and  magazines,  one  daily 
paper  is  printed,  that  paper  the  only  one  of  the  city. 
Ours  is  the  '  New  York  Gazette,'  and  is  delivered 
with  the  mail,  about  two  o'clock.  One  paper  is  amply 
sufficient  for  the  city.  You  see,  we  have  no  conflict- 
ing political  parties,  we  have  no  private  firms  to  ad- 
vertise, no  people  seeking  employment,  no  wars  to 
carry  on,  and  we  do  not  trouble  ourselves  about 
matters  which  are  entirely  private,  such  as  births, 
engagements,  marriages,  and  deaths.  Our  newspaper 
gives  us  simply  an  account,  and  a  short  one  at  that, 
of  matters  of  real  interest.  Here  on  the  first  pages 
you  see  reports  from  North  and  South  America,  Asia, 
Africa,  Europe,  and  Australia,  in  systematic  order. 
The  last  two  pages  are  devoted  to  happenings  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  and  you  will  find  reports  of  all 
meetings,  debates,  and  resolutions  in  the  City  Hall; 
brief  announcements  of  theatres,  concerts,  amuse- 
ments, university  lectures ;  agricultural  and  industrial 
reports;  remarks  on  literature  and  art;  discoveries 
and  inventions;  and,  finally,  accidents,  crimes,  and 
penalties.  Very  rarely  is  there  any  deviation  from 
this  programme.  The  paper  is  published  at  one 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  because  we  believe  in  avoid- 
ing night  work  as  much  as  possible.  All  trades  and 
unions  have  their  own  monthly  magazines,  dedicated 
to  their  interests." 


LOOKING    BACKWARD  159 

"  I  suppose  Washington  continues  to  be  our 
capital?" 

"  No,  Chicago.  About  seventy-five  years  ago, 
when  the  United  States  spread  over  the  whole  of  the 
continent,  Chicago  was  chosen  as  capital  and  seat  of 
the  Union  government.  Before  that  time  a  ship 
canal  had  been  constructed  which  connects  Chicago 
with  the  European  ports." 

"  The  continents  are  separate  politically,  no 
doubt?" 

"  We  have  the  United  States  of  South  America, 
which  include  the  whole  of  that  continent  as  well  as 
the  states  of  Central  America;  the  United  States  of 
Europe,  of  Asia,  of  Africa,  and  of  Australia." 

"  Then  the  whole  earth  is  divided  into  six  large 
countries?  " 

"  Yes.  But  these  six  countries  form  only  one  do- 
minion. Their  presidents  go  hand  in  hand,  in  fact 
must  go  hand  in  hand.  There  are  no  longer  any 
dividing  lines.  Every  man  is  to-day  a  citizen  of  the 
world,  a  member  of  the  entire  family  of  man,  which 
is  scattered  over  the  whole  earth." 

"  What  has  become  of  classes,  races,  and  reli- 
gions? " 

"  We  know  of  no  class  hatred,  since  there  are  no 
classes.  We  do  not  cultivate  race  hatred,  because 
we  do  not  judge  a  man  by  the  color  of  his  skin,  or  by 
the  place  of  his  birth,  but  by  his  works  and  his  own 
worth.     We  have  no  religious  hatred,  because  now 


160  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

there  is  but  one  faith.  That  is,  faith  in  only  one  God 
and  in  His  omnipresence." 

"  Explain  a  little  more  in  detail  how  all  this  hap- 
pened, if  you  will  be  so  good?" 

"  Within  ten  years  after  you  sank  into  your  long 
slumber,"  began  the  president,  "  an  entirely  new 
spirit  seemed  to  take  possession  of  mankind,  a  spirit 
worthier  of  the  twentieth  century.  The  fearful 
slaughter  of  men  which  had  taken  place  in  every 
corner  of  the  earth  but  a  few  years  prior  seemed  to 
have  evolved  this  new  spirit.  The  doctrine  of  the 
brotherhood  of  man  which  had  been  taught  by  Jesus 
Christ,  seemed  to  flame  again  into  life  and  to  spread 
over  the  world. 

"  In  secret  this  sublime  and  holy  doctrine  had 
already  taken  root,  but  to  only  a  few,  of  keen  spiritual 
eyesight,  were  the  roots  visible.  The  great  mass  of 
mankind  rudely  trod  down  the  sprouting  germs. 
Nevertheless,  these  new  germs  were  more  powerful 
than  the  ignorance  which  covered  them.  There 
sprang  up  in  all  parts  of  the  world  and  among  all 
nations  a  general  longing  and  a  demand  for  truth 
and  equity.  And  as  there  were  prophets  who  recog- 
nized the  heavenly  origin  of  the  seed,  it  was  carefully 
nurtured  and  planted  more  and  more  widely  in  the 
productive  soil  of  the  human  heart. 

"  Men  and  women  inspired  by  divine  thoughts 
arose  in  all  lands,  and  with  renewed  vigor  preached 
the  old  true  gospel  of  the  one  God  and  of  His  equal 


LOOKING    BACKWARD  161 

love  for  all  men.  They  declared  that  God  was  ever 
present  and  was  everywhere;  that  a  part  of  Him 
existed  in  the  heart  of  every  man,  and  could  be  found 
by  every  one  who  earnestly  sought.  They  preached, 
moreover,  that  there  was  but  one  true  law  and  one 
true  rehgion :  '  Do  right  and  fear  no  one,  not  even 
God,  for  God  is  with  every  one  who  does  that  which 
is  right.'  Then  they  pointed  out  that  God  did  not 
create  this  world  to  be  a  vast  vale  of  sorrow  for  man- 
kind, but  that  in  His  infinite  love  He  has  given  us 
in  the  powers  of  nature  and  in  the  power  of  our  own 
intellect  everything  necessary  to  convert  it  into  a 
heaven  on  earth.  These  modern  preachers  sought  to 
bring  heaven  down  to  man,  not  to  drag  man  up  to 
heaven. 

"  We  have  numerous  maxims  that  embody  their 
precepts;  for  instance: 

Respect  thyself.    Never  forget  that  thou  art  a  man. 

Frugality  and  temperance  create  spiritual  power. 

There  is  but  one  happiness,  and  that  is  content- 
ment. 

Thou  art  never  alone,  for  God  and  thy  conscience 
are  ever  with  thee. 

Strive  to  be  free  in  the  highest  freedom  of  life :  the 
freedom  of  the  spirit. 

A  maiden's  highest  good :  Her  maidenly  honor. 

A  woman's  highest  good :  Womanly  fidelity. 


11 


162  THE    DA^    OF   PROSPEIilTY 

A  child's  highest  good:  Love  and  esteem  for 
parents. 

A  man's  highest  good:  Love  of  truth  and  right, 
love  of  work,  love  of  his  family  and  for  his  country. 

"  So  far,  the  spirit  was  that  of  enlightenment  and 
peace.  But  to  the  superficial  observer  it  must  have 
seemed  that  never  before  had  men  hated  each  other 
so  fiercely,  quarrelled  so  violently,  and  fought  so 
madly.  The  division  of  Turkey  followed  close  upon 
the  dismemberment  of  China.  The  power  of  Russia 
was  shattered  by  an  anarchistic  revolution,  and  the 
spirit  of  enlightenment  was  then  established  in  the 
form  of  a  republic  on  the  throne  of  the  Czar.  So  it 
went  on.  Reforms  were  needed  in  Church  and  State, 
in  school  and  home.  From  the  cradle  to  the  grave 
humanity  needed  to  be  reformed.  This  strife  and  this 
universal  oppression  were  hindrances  to  progress 
only  in  appearance.  In  reality  they  were  all  leading 
to  the  same  goal,  the  final  universal  brotherhood  of 
man.  The  majority  of  those  who  were  engaged  in 
this  striving,  struggling,  and  fighting  never  dreamed 
of  the  splendid  result.  Small  businesseswere  absorbed 
by  the  larger;  weak  states  were  swallowed  by  the 
stronger.  The  great  business  concerns  fought  each 
other  until  they  found  it  to  their  advantage  to  unite 
instead  of  to  fight.  Trusts  and  corporations  grew 
more  and  more  gigantic,  and  fell  into  fewer  but 
mightier  hands.     From  these  mighty  consolidations 


LOOKING    BACKWARD  163 

of  interests,  the  powerless  but  multitiidinoits  working 
classes  learned  something.  They  learned,  although 
very  slowly,  something  of  the  strength  of  combining 
and  uniting.  Consequently  they  combined,  at  first 
in  small  bodies,  then  in  larger  and  larger.  They  de- 
manded higher  wages  and  shorter  hours  of  labor. 

*'  Can  it  be  wondered  that  the  women,  too,  at- 
tempted to  organize  a  world  for  themselves?  Most 
of  them  saw  that  the  majority  could  not  fulfil  the  role 
appointed  for  them  by  nature — to  be  wives  and 
mothers — because  in  too  many  instances  the  earnings 
of  a  young  man  were  not  sufficient  to  support  a  wife 
and  family.  Therefore  it  was  necessary  for  woman 
to  be  a  wage-earner.  Girls  of  tender  years,  who 
knew  nothing  of  the  temptations  of  the  world  or  the 
demands  of  life,  were  driven  into  unwholesome  fac- 
tories, where  their  morals  were  corrupted,  and  their 
bodies  ruined.  If  a  poor  girl  turned  to  some  other 
employment,  she  feared  no  better.  The  cry  went  up 
everywhere  that  she  was  taking  the  bread  out  of  the 
mouth  of  man,  or  she  was  laughed  at  and  sneered  at 
as  a  '  new  woman.' 

"  The  labor  question !  The  woman  question !  "  pur- 
sued President  Donnelly.  "  What  else  lay  hidden  in 
these  phrases  but  the  longing  for  a  life  as  free  as  pos- 
sible from  care,  in  which  man  could  be  happy?  Every 
poor  man  felt  in  the  bottom  of  his  heart  that  he  had  a 
right  to  such  a  life.  Every  man  and  every  woman 
saw  in  the  fruitful,  blossoming  earth  a  beautiful  gar- 


164  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

den,  and  naturally  felt  deep  bitterness  at  not  being 
able  to  enjoy  it.  Who  can  wonder  that  they  sought 
means  to  obtain  at  least  a  small  share  of  earthly  hap- 
piness ?  They  saw  the  power  of  money,  the  power  of 
capital  combined.  Every  day  they  had  before  their 
eyes  evidences  of  the  power  of  the  united  strength  of 
the  millionaires,  and  so  they  began  to  combine  also. 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  ruHng  powers  looked  with 
anything  but  favor  on  workingmen's  unions  and 
wherever  it  was  possible  suppressed  or  crippled 
them,  workingmen  themselves  stood  stubbornly  for 
their  undoubted  rights,  and  continued  bravely  on  that 
way  which  was  the  right  way.  They  maintained  that 
it  was  their  privilege  to  combine  for  their  own  in- 
terests, just  as  they  saw  their  wealthy  employers  do- 
ing for  their  own.  It  seemed  as  if  mutual  hatred 
could  attain  no  greater  height.  General  strikes, 
bloodshed,  and  revolutions  followed ;  and  yet  scarcely 
a  day  passed  without  the  invention  of  some  new  ma- 
chine or  method  for  making  work  easier,  and  for  em- 
ploying the  powers  of  nature  to  a  greater  extent. 

"  On  the  occasion  of  a  general  strike  among  shoe- 
makers, it  occurred  to  one  of  the  strikers  that  it  would 
be  better  to  employ  the  money  which  the  strike  would 
cost  in  erecting  a  factory  to  be  run  on  cooperative 
principles.  He  shared  the  thoughts  with  his  com- 
rades. It  took  him  some  time  to  convince  them 
that  his  plan  was  reasonable  and  feasible,  but  at  last 
he  got  permission  to  go  ahead.     He  lost  no  time  in 


LOOKING    BACKWARD  165 

renting  a  suitable  building  and  getting  in  the  neces- 
sary machinery,  and  within  a  month  the  first  coopera- 
tive shoe  factory  was  in  operation.  Appeals  were 
sent  to  working  people  everywhere,  and  very  soon 
the  cooperative  factory  had  more  orders  than  could 
be  filled  with  the  means  at  its  disposal.  Other  trades, 
encouraged  by  the  success  of  the  shoemakers,  began 
to  imitate,  and  with  the  same  good  results.  Working 
people  bought,  as  far  as  possible,  only  those  goods 
made  in  the  cooperative  factories,  and  the  big  cor- 
porations saw  their  trade  falling  off,  and  their  profits 
disappearing.  They  therefore  began  a  plan  of  cam- 
paign designed  to  freeze  out  the  cooperative  laborers' 
factories,  by  cutting  prices.  The  struggle  was  carried 
on  with  the  greatest  bitterness,  and  the  governments 
found  all  their  energies  taken  up  in  smoothing  out 
difficulties  and  preventing  outbreaks.  Nevertheless, 
the  trusts  and  corporations  continued  to  grow  more 
and  more  colossal;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  or- 
ganizations of  workers  waxed  so  strong  that  they 
were  no  longer  to  be  treated  with  contempt. 

"  At  this  time  a  scheme  was  devised  and  promul- 
gated to  introduce  a  world  language  which  should  be 
taught  to  all  school  children,  throughout  the  world, 
at  the  same  time  with  their  native  language.  It  was 
reckoned  that  in  about  fifteen  years  all  the  younger 
generation  would  be  able  to  speak  a  language  which 
could  be  understood  by  everybody.  Communication 
would  thereby  be  much  simplified.     Great  interest 


166  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

was  taken  in  the  subject  by  influential  men  and  edu- 
cators of  every  nation,  and  finally  a  conference  was 
held  in  New  York.  The  question  to  be  settled  at 
that  conference  was,  which  language  was  best  adapted 
to  become  the  universal  language.  It  was  finally 
agreed,  naturally,  that  the  English  language  was  that 
which  most  readily  lent  itself  to  the  scheme.  Every 
member  of  the  Congress  agreed  to  use  every  means 
in  his  power  to  introduce  the  English  language  as 
the  universal  business  and  world  language,  and  not 
to  relax  his  endeavors  until  this  end  had  been  reached. 
They  set  to  work  energetically  and  with  such  good 
effect,  that  it  was  not  long  before  all  the  governments 
of  the  world  found  themselves  under  such  pressure 
on  the  part  of  the  enlightened,  that  the  English  lan- 
guage had  to  be  adopted,  and  was  made  obligatory 
in  all  schools,  along  with  the  native  language,  on  all 
children  over  the  age  of  six.  Soon  afterwards  a 
perfected  system  of  stenography  was  similarly  intro- 
duced, as  it  was  desired  that  we  might  write  with  the 
same  rapidity  with  which  we  speak.  In  the  mean- 
time the  working  classes  were  growing  more  and 
more  enlightened,  and  this  enlightenment  soon 
brought  such  intelligence  that  the  hitherto  lifeless 
phrase:  *  Government  by  the  people,  for  the  people,* 
suddenly  acquired  life,  and  was  soon  echoed  through- 
out all  the  United  States  of  that  time. 

"  Political  heelers  and  saloon  politicians  were  put 
aside  as  soon  as  the  people  became  conscious  of  their 


LOOKING   BACKWARD  107 

own  power,  and  the  result  was  that,  twenty-five  years 
after  you  were  put  to  sleep,  the  people  of  the  United 
States  for  the  first  time  chose  as  President  a  man 
who  really  represented  the  great  masses.  Then  mat- 
ters moved  quickly  forward.  The  masses  wanted  the 
government  to  take  charge  of  all  indispensable  in- 
stitutions. And  as  the  will  of  the  people  finally 
counted  for  something,  it  was  not  long  before  gov- 
ernment was  in  possession  of  the  railroads,  the  tele- 
graph and  telephone  systems,  and  the  electric  plants. 
Finally,  all  private  undertakings  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  government.  While  this  development 
was  taking  place  the  eyes  of  all  other  nations  were 
fastened  with  eagerness  on  the  United  States;  and 
before  long  our  example  was  followed  by  the  rest 
of  the  world.  One  republic  arose  after  another,  all 
built  after  the  model  of  the  United  States.  Nations 
wanted  men  at  their  head  who  felt  with  them  and  for 
them,  and  they  also  expected  to  get  that  part  of  the 
good  things  of  the  earth  which  they  felt  themselves 
entitled  to.  As  a  result  of  these  developments,  and, 
still  more,  as  a  result  of  the  universal  adoption  of  the 
English  language,  the  peoples  of  the  earth  were 
drawn  nearer  to  each  other,  and  learned  to  under- 
stand and  like  each  other  better.  This  nearer  ap- 
proach of  the  peoples  had,  naturally,  a  great  effect 
on  the  various  religious  sects  and  on  the  ministers  of 
religion.  The  various  churches  were  driven  by  the 
spirit  of  the  times  to  exercise  a  new  and  better  in- 


168  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

fluence;  and  instead  of  being,  as  formerly,  against 
the  people,  were  compelled  to  array  themselves  on 
the  side  of  the  people  in  their  struggle  for  truth  and 
justice.  They  had  to  put  aside  their  petty  differ- 
ences and  to  devote  their  energies  to  the  preaching 
of  a  religion  based  on  sound  reason. 

"  The  great  strides  of  progress  in  Church  and  State 
affected  the  general  standing  and  culture  of  all.  The 
efifect  was  felt  in  the  huts  of  peasants  in  the  most 
remote  corners  of  the  world.  The  state  of  content- 
ment of  the  peasantry  with  their  sequestered  life  re- 
ceived severe  blows.  The  peasants  learned  to  feel  that 
they  were  men  just  as  well  as  the  dwellers  in  large 
cities,  and  that  consequently  they  had  just  as  much 
right  to  opportunity  for  amusement  and  instruction 
as  the  city  people  themselves.  Very  soon  it  was  im- 
possible to  find  workers  for  the  field,  since  young, 
farmers  sold  their  estates,  removed  to  large  cities, 
and  looked  for  work  in  factories,  so  that  they  might 
be  able  to  live  as  men  among  men.  Nothing  re- 
mained but  for  the  government  to  take  all  the  farms, 
and  to  train  an  army  of  laborers  who,  during  the 
year,  worked  alternately  for  several  months  on  the 
farms  and  for  several  months  in  the  city. 

"  I  have  given  you  a  glimpse  of  the  first  beginnings 
of  our  simple  and  righteous  system  of  government. 
Of  course  this  beginning  was  chaotic,  and  it  was  nec- 
essary to  reduce  this  chaos  to  order,  but  it  was  gradu- 
ally accomplished.     There  are  no  longer  any  real 


LOOKING    BACKWARD  169 

boundary  lines  between  nations,  races,  and  religions. 
When  the  English  language  had  been  introduced 
as  the  world  language,  cosmopolitanism  was  born 
in  the  United  States,  and  thence  promulgated  over 
the  whole  earth.  *  One  language,  one  law,  and  one 
religion,'  became  the  watchword.  The  children  of 
all  races,  nationalities,  and  religions  were  educated 
upon  the  same  plan.  They  were  taught,  from  earli- 
est childhood,  to  make  no  distinction  between  man 
and  man.  Laws  were  passed  forbidding  child  labor 
in  factories,  and  granting  to  every  man,  whether 
European  or  Asiatic,  the  same  wages  for  the  same 
work.  There  were  thousands  of  changes,  all  of  them 
improvements,  and  when  the  young  children  who 
had  been  educated  under  the  new  system  had  grown, 
there  were  no  laws  which  hindered  intermarrying. 
So  it  came  to  pass  that  whites  and  colored  people 
married,  Chinese  and  Christians,  Turks  and  Chris- 
tians, Jews  and  Christians.  Nations,  races,  and  re- 
ligions were  blended,  and  thus  the  first  true  cosmo- 
politans were  created.  The  inexplicable  hatred 
which  existed  between  men  in  your  time  was  thus 
wiped  out.  Men  had  learned  to  know  each  other 
better,  and  they  saw  that  mutual  hatred  and  quar- 
relling were  irrational.  They  clasped  hands,  and  the 
fruits  of  this  friendship  you  see  before  you  to-day. 
Wherever  you  may  wander,  men  will  receive  you  with 
open  arms,  and  everywhere  you  will  find  the  same 
conditions  prevalent. 


170  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  My  summary  has  been  brief  and  imperfect, 
though  it  has  consumed  some  time  in  the  telling. 
But  it  may  help  you  to  understand  what  you  see, 
and  may,  in  part,  explain  how  our  world  of  the  year 
2000  is  the  rational  outgrowth  of  the  world  in  which 
you  lived.  .  .  .  Well,  shall  we  go  down?  I  am 
sure  we  are  the  better  for  our  half  hour  in  the  wind 
and  sun,  even  if  my  little  lecture  has  not  proved  in- 
teresting. And  I  am  sure  we  shall  find  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly waiting  for  us." 


X 

EDUCATION   IN   THE   YEAR   2000 

We  did  indeed  find  Mrs.  Donnelly  awaiting  us  in 
the  parlor  of  her  apartment,  where,  comfortably 
seated,  she  was  resting  after  the  completion  of  her 
household  work. 

"  My  dear,"  began  the  president,  as  we  entered, 
"  I  have  already  inflicted  on  Mr.  Burnham  a  half- 
hour's  lecture  on  modern  political  history,  and  to 
save  ourselves  from  a  surfeit  of  too  solid  mental  food 
in  the  early  morning,  we  have  come  to  enjoy  a  little 
light  conversation  with  you." 

"  I  appreciate  the  compliment  to  my  intellectual 
capacity,"  responded  the  lady. 

"  Mr.  Donnelly's  mental  food  was  carefully  pre- 
pared and  easily  assimilated,"  I  interposed,  "  and  I 
am  still  unsatisfied.  I  wish  he  would  continue  and 
tell  me  more  about  the  subject  most  familiar  to  him 
— the  subject  of  education.  You  have  already  ex- 
plained much,  particularly  about  the  training  of 
women,  but  there  is  much  left  for  me  to  learn." 

"  With  pleasure,"  replied  the  president,  "  if  you 
care  to  listen.  And  perhaps  the  easiest  way  will  be 
to  read  you  a  portion  of  the  introduction  to  my  an- 


172  THE   DAY    OP   PROSPERITY 

ntial  report  for  the  present  year.  It  may  prove  a 
little  dry,  but  I  will  trust  to  your  indulgence,  and 
will  read  only  such  parts  as  constitute  a  general  an- 
swer to  your  question." 

He  left  the  room,  and  presently  reappeared,  turn- 
ing over  the  leaves  of  a  little  blue-bound  volume. 
"  We  argue,"  he  began,  "  that  ignorance  is  the  arch- 
enemy of  progress,  and  we  therefore  do  all  in  our 
power  to  promote  knowledge  and  to  banish  illiter- 
acy. Of  course  it  is  impossible  to  make  a  scholar 
of  every  human  being,  but  it  is  our  aim  to  impart 
such  knowledge  that  our  youth,  on  leaving  school, 
may  not  find  themselves  strangers  in  a  strange  world. 

"  A  hundred  years  ago,  if  a  man  erred  in  the  choice 
of  his  calling,  his  whole  life,  as  a  rule,  was  a  failure. 
He  had  pursued  but  one  end,  and  falling  short  in  its 
attainment,  he  painfully  perceived  his  incompetence 
for  another  pursuit,  since  his  education  had  been  one- 
sided. At  school  his  view  of  the  outside  world  was 
rosy-hued,  and  the  future  was  a  dream.  The  good 
people  of  the  outside  world,  he  thought,  would  cer- 
tainly help  him.  But  on  his  entrance  into  this  outer 
world  he  began  to  realize  that,  instead  of  having  to 
deal  with  helpful,  kind-hearted  people,  he  had  to  face, 
for  the  most  part,  a  set  of  sefish  and  uncharitable  ene- 
mies. His  self-reliance,  his  faith,  his  religion  all 
shattered  and  wrecked,  he  wandered  through  the 
world,  a  prey  to  disaster. 

"  Strength   of  character  is  not   found   upon   the 


EDUCATION    IN    THE    YEAR    2000  173 

streets,  but  must  be  developed  from  early  youth. 
We  have  profited  by  our  ancestors'  mistakes.  The 
school  of  the  present  day  is  a  world  on  a  small  scale. 
Theory  and  practice  are  combined  throughout  the 
entire  course  of  study.  At  an  early  stage  our  chil- 
dren are  impressed  with  the  earnestness  of  life  and 
with  their  responsibility  to  the  world.  In  addition 
to  the  culture  of  mind  and  heart,  their  bodily  strength 
is  also  developed  systematically.  Manual  training, 
dexterity,  and  accuracy  in  the  performance  of  their 
work,  all  these  play  an  important  part.  The  power 
of  endurance  of  mental  and  physical  strain  is  de- 
veloped by  degrees.  Above  all,  we  imbue  the  young 
with  two  principles  respecting  State  and  religion : 
'  Obedience  to  the  law  is  the  prime  duty  of  every  citi- 
zen,' '  Dare  to  do  right  and  fear  no  one.' 

"  Our  education,  so  to  speak,  begins  immediately 
after  birth.  Inasmuch  as  the  mothers  of  our  chil- 
dren have  all  received  an  excellent  education,  they 
know  how  an  infant  is  to  be  cared  for  and  reared. 
Up  to  the  fifth  year  the  httle  ones  are  under  the  spe- 
cial care  of  their  mothers  and  of  kindergartners. 
After  completion  of  their  fifth  year,  they  are  sent  to 
the  public  schools.  Our  children  manifest  no  fear 
whatever  at  the  thought  of  being  sent  to  school. 
Since  everybody  treats  them  well  and  takes  a  lively 
interest  in  their  welfare,  they  have  a  smile  for  every 
one  and  place  implicit  confidence  even  in  strangers. 
Hence,  the  beginning  of  their  school  career  is  a  mo- 


174  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

ment  not  dreaded,  but  wished  for  with  childlike  im- 
patience. 

"  Our  schools  are  open  nine  months  of  each  year. 
The  remaining  three  months,  from  June  15th  to 
September  15th,  are  devoted  to  vacation.  The 
school  hours  are  from  nine  in  the  morning  to  five 
in  the  afternoon.  But  one  must  not  think  that  these 
eight  hours  involve  constant  study.  Each  hour  or 
two  of  study  is  followed,  generally,  by  an  hour  of 
recreation,  during  which  some  interesting  story  is 
read  or  told  to  them,  or  some  experiment  in  science 
is  shown,  or  other  knowledge  is  pleasantly  imparted. 
Now  and  then  the  children  are  permitted  to  play. 
Of  course  all  these  recreations  are  regulated  by  the 
age  of  the  pupils.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  bigger 
girls,  from  twelve  to  fourteen  years  of  age,  are  re- 
quired every  day  at  eleven  o'clock  to  prepare  a  meal 
under  competent  supervision,  as  the  children  do  not 
go  home  for  their  midday  meal,  and  as  a  kitchen  is 
connected  with  each  school.  The  bigger  boys,  in 
turn,  are  required  to  act  as  waiters  in  the  school  din- 
ing-room, and  the  smaller  children  clear  away  the 
things.  From  one  o'clock  until  two  the  young  folks 
are  allowed  to  rest.  All  work  is  done  in  school;  we 
have  no  home  work.  After  their  eighth  year  our 
boys  and  girls  must  care  for  their  own  schoolrooms. 
At  eight  o'clock  those  pupils  whose  turn  it  is,  must 
appear  at  school,  and  within  half  an  hour  all  the 
schoolrooms  must  be  swept  and  put  in  order. 


EDUCATION    IN    THE    YEAR    2000  175 

"  Each  school  forms  a  miniature  state.  The  head- 
master, chosen  for  one  year  from  among  the  teachers, 
is  the  chief,  and  is  responsible  to  the  board  of  educa- 
tion for  the  welfare  of  his  school.  Each  class  of  pu- 
pils forms,  as  it  were,  a  regiment,  from  which  three 
are  chosen  as  lieutenants,  who,  in  turn,  appoint  one 
of  their  number  captain.  As  a  rule,  only  the  best 
and  most  popular  pupils  are  chosen  for  these  posts. 
The  rest  of  the  pupils  render  absolute  obedience  to 
these  chiefs  chosen  by  themselves.  These  class  of- 
ficers are  expected  to  carry  out  the  commands  of  their 
teachers  with  regard  to  studies  during  recess,  care  of 
younger  pupils,  and  similar  matters.  The  schools 
for  girls  are  conducted  on  the  same  plan. 

"  At  five  o'clock,  the  hour  of  dismissal,  the  pupils 
arrange  themselves  with  military  precision.  Words 
of  command  are  given,  the  bigger  pupils  are  the  first 
to  march  away,  the  little  ones  pass  out  last.  Noisy 
and  disorderly  dismissals  are  unknown.  Every  pupil 
caught  in  a  misdemeanor  is  noted  down  by  his  class 
officer,  and  is  interrogated  and  punished  on  the  fol- 
lowing day.  Every  school  has  a  court  of  justice, 
whose  members  are  chosen  from  among  the  pupils. 
Here  the  class  officers  prefer  their  charges,  and  the 
defendants,  if  found  guilty,  are  punished. 

"  Besides  their  mother  tongue,  children,  all  the 
world  over,  are  instructed  in  the  English  language. 
The  study  of  stenography  is  begun  with  the  eighth 
year.     All  the  boys  must  learn  some  kind  of  handi- 


176  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

work,  for  which  pursuit  there  are  certain  hours  fixed, 
and  the  work  must  be  kept  up  to  the  twentieth  year 
of  each  male  pupil.  Pupils  who  show  extraordinary 
skill  at  handicraft  are  noted.  Girls  are  taught  cook- 
ing and  sewing.  Our  pupils  are  also  instructed  in 
swimming,  dancing,  gymnastics,  music,  both  vocal 
and  instrumental,  drawing  and  painting.  At  cer- 
tain fixed  periods  they  are  taken  to  the  theatre,  men- 
ageries, museums,  picture  galleries,  factories,  and 
storehouses.  Everything  is  explained  to  them  in 
detail.  Since  all  institutions  of  learning  are  fur- 
nished with  gardens,  the  children  intuitively  learn  to 
love  and  care  for  plants. 

"  During  the  summer  vacation  our  pupils  are  some- 
times given  an  excursion  by  water,  and  sometimes 
entire  schools  are  taken  on  an  extensive  tour.  In 
short,  we  spare  no  effort  in  acquainting  our  children 
at  the  earliest  possible  moment  with  the  outer  world 
and  with  its  demands  upon  them.  We  show  them 
the  works  of  man  and  the  wonders  of  God's  creation. 
While  there  is  wax  to  receive  and  marble  to  retain, 
we  strive  to  fix  deep  in  the  young  heart  the  laws  of 
God.  We  teach  them  to  love  the  beautiful  and  the 
good,  and  to  hate  and  eschew  evil.  We  grant  them 
all  possible  freedom,  as  long  as  they  do  not  abuse  this 
privilege.  In  the  library  connected  with  every  school, 
the  most  useful  books  are  accessible  to  them. 

"  Man's  noblest  vocation  is  to  be  a  man,  nor  should 
he  fail  in  this  sublime  vocation.     Our  method  of  edu- 


EDUCATION    IN    THE    YEAR    2000  ^It 

eating  aims  at  enduing  the  individual  with  a  sympa- 
thetic heart,  a  clear  head,  with  love  of  truth  and  jus- 
tice, with  love  of  fellow-man,  and  with  industrious 
habits.  In  short,  we  wish  to  produce  enlightened 
and  honorable  citizens  of  the  world.  From  the  fifth 
to  the  fourteenth  year  we  lay  the  foundation.  On 
completion  of  the  latter  year,  our  young  folks  leave 
the  home  of  their  parents  and  take  up  their  abode 
in  a  university  hotel.  The  university  continues  the 
studies  pursued  in  the  primary  schools,  but  on  a 
broader  scale.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  study  of  the 
French  and  German  languages  is  pursued  at  the  uni- 
versity, and  there  the  girls  are  taught  how  to  bring 
up  children  and  how  to  nurse  the  sick. 

"  University  students  have^  at  their  hotels,  their 
own  kitchen,  dormitories,  dining-room,  parlor,  and 
study.  Here,  too,  just  as  in  the  lower  schools,  the 
strictest  order  and  cleanliness  obtain.  The  students, 
both  male  and  female,  attend  to  the  keeping  clean  not 
only  of  their  hotel,  but  also  of  their  university.  Stu- 
dents may  visit  their  parents  in  the  evening,  but  at 
nine  o'clock  they  must  be  abed,  so  that  they  may  be 
up  at  six  o'clock  on  the  following  morning.  Habits 
formed  in  youth  become  confirmed  with  age.  Hence, 
our  boys  and  girls,  bred  up  to  habits  of  punctual- 
ity, cleanliness,  obedience,  and  industry,  find  no  diffi- 
culty in  the  continued  practice  of  these  virtues.  Un- 
deviating  morality  is  their  second  nature.  Our 
universities  are  universities  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
12 


178  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

word,  for  everything,  from  the  simplest  trade  or 
handicraft  to  the  most  compHcated  science  or  art  is 
taught  here.  The  students  print  their  own  news- 
paper, perform  theatrical  pieces  and  musical  selec- 
tions, all  composed  by  themselves.  You  must  have 
observed  that  all  our  youth  dress  alike,  and  in  a  plain 
style.  Hence,  they  have  no  occasion  to  envy  one  an- 
other, as  young  folks  are  apt  to  do,  for  finery  of  at- 
tire. 

"  On  the  completion  of  the  twentieth  year,  all  our 
youth  leave  the  university  hotels  to  take  quarters 
temporarily  in  the  bachelors'  or  the  spinsters'  hotels, 
where  they  remain  up  to  the  time  of  marriage.  The 
young  man  has  now  to  perform  his  daily  four  hours* 
work  in  that  branch  for  which  he  has  an  inclination 
and  the  capacity.  The  girls,  however,  are  not  com- 
pelled to  do  any  work.  They  are  at  liberty  to  make 
themselves  useful,  or  to  remain  unoccupied  until 
they  are  married.  But,  I  can  assure  you,  they  all 
look  for  some  employment  without  compulsion. 
To  them  labor  is  a  pleasure,  since  they  have  been 
trained  from  youth  to  habits  of  industry.  Most  of 
our  girls  devote  themselves  to  the  training  of  chil- 
dren, the  nursing  of  the  sick,  to  cooking,  and  to  sew- 
ing. Others  assist  in  the  labors  of  the  farm,  or 
continue  the  study  of  science  and  art.  Nor  is  mar- 
riage a  bar  to  woman's  interest  in  the  weal  of  human 
solidarity.     All  honor  to  her. 

"  A  hundred  years  ago  a  young  university  graduate 


EDUCATION    IN    THE    YEAR    2000  179 

would  have  been  loath  to  perform  manual  labor, 
though  he  might  have  thought  himself  qualified  to 
perform  all  kinds  of  mental  work.  We  instruct  in 
agriculture  and  in  handicraft  in  order  to  kill  that 
spirit  of  caste  and  contempt  of  manual  labor  once 
so  prevalent.  One  kind  of  labor  is  now  worth  as 
much  as  another.  It  is  the  same,  whether  the  work 
be  mental  or  manual.  Everybody  has  acquired  a 
solid  education.  Yet  we  consider  an  educated  per- 
son of  twenty  years  merely  as  a  helper  to  his  elders. 

"  Every  man  is  required,  as  I  said,  to  render  man- 
ual service  for  four  hours  only  per  diem.  The  re- 
maining hours  he  may  devote  to  mental  culture.  All 
our  universities,  academies,  theatres,  lecture  rooms, 
are  open  for  everybody  until  ten  p.m.,  every  day,  and 
wisdom's  voice  is  never  silent.  All  that  is  requisite 
is  to  be  enrolled  as  an  auditor,  and  you  may  attain 
a  high  degree  of  perfection  in  any  branch  of  manual 
dexterity,  art,  or  science.  Moreover,  for  such  as  de- 
sire to  study  at  home,  stenographically  printed  cop- 
ies of  each  lecture  may  be  obtained  at  the  respec- 
tive institutions  where  they  were  delivered.  As  we 
are  never  too  old  to  learn,  no  age  limit  is  fixed  for 
these  voluntary  students  of  both  sexes.  All  persons, 
married  and  single,  may  enjoy  the  benefits  of  these 
lectures.  Some  study  up  to  their  thirtieth  year,  and 
then  make  application  for  examination.  If  they  pass 
satisfactorily,  they  receive  a  diploma.  They  then 
become  licentiates  of  their  profession.     Others  study 


180  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

merely  for  pastime,  throughout  life,  without  ever 
applying  for  examination.  The  diploma  forms  part 
of  the  passport  of  every  successful  candidate,  and  is 
granted  by  a  board  of  examiners.  Yet  our  licentiates 
are  not  released  from  their  four  hours'  manual  toil, 
however  high  their  examination  average  may  be. 
Physicians  and  teachers  who  have  attained  the  high- 
est examination  average  are  exempted  from  manual 
labor.  Sculptors,  painters,  poets,  authors,  savants, 
actors,  and  inventors  must  all,  by  some  masterpiece, 
have  attracted  universal  attention  before  they  may, 
by  suffrage,  be  exempted  from  manual  labor  in  order 
to  devote  themselves  exclusively  to  their  chosen  call- 
ing. 

"  There  are  many  men,  however,  who,  notwith- 
standing they  have  been  released  from  manual  labor, 
still  continue  bravely  at  their  four  hours'  work.  They 
feel  no  desire  to  leave  their  sphere.  Every  one  of 
their  fellow-workmen  is  an  educated  man,  and  al- 
though not  all  are  capable  of  achieving  marvels,  yet 
every  one's  education  enables  him  to  understand  and 
appreciate  the  beautiful  and  the  good. 

"  Perhaps,"  continued  President  Donnelly,  as  he 
concluded  his  reading,  and  laid  the  report  aside,  "  you 
may  like  to  know  how  these  principles  apply  in  my 
own  case.  Well,  I  attended  the  usual  course  of  in- 
struction, both  in  the  common  schools  and  at  the 
university  up  to  my  twentieth  year.  I  had  chosen 
carpentry  for  my  trade,  having  been  quite  proficient 


EDUCATION   IN    THE    YEAR    2000  181 

in  it  when  I  left  school.  On  completing  my  twen- 
tieth year,  I  entered  our  furniture  factory,  where  I 
perfected  my  knowledge  of  the  trade,  working  four 
hours  daily.  As  I  was  at  leisure  in  the  evening,  I 
visited  the  university  extension  courses,  taking  up 
literature,  pedagogy,  and  natural  science,  and  when 
I  became  thirty  years  of  age  resolved  to  apply  for 
examination  in  pedagogy.  I  passed  the  examination, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  to  receive  a  teacher's  posi- 
tion in  the  common  schools.  I  was  now  obliged  to 
abandon  my  occupation  of  carpenter,  as  my  inner 
conviction  urged  me  to  take  up  the  delightful  task 
of  teaching.  At  the  age  of  thirty-five  I  was  chosen 
head  master  by  my  colleagues.  This  position  I  held 
for  one  year,  and  thereafter  continued  teaching  as  an 
ordinary  instructor.  In  the  course  of  time  I  applied 
for  another  examination,  passed  it,  and  obtained  the 
title  of  professor.  Yet  I  was  obliged  to  wait  until  my 
fortieth  year  before  I  was  appointed  professor  of 
English  literature  at  the  Washington  University. 
Here  I  taught  for  nineteen  years.  Last  year  I  was 
chosen  president  of  the  male  section  for  one  year. 
On  the  fifteenth  day  of  this  month,  the  day  after  to- 
morrow, my  term  of  of^ce  expires,  and,  as  I  am  sixty 
years  of  age,  I  shall  retire,  and  for  the  rest  of  my  life 
be  free  to  do  whatever  I  choose.  Well,  I  hope  to  live 
for  some  years  more,  as  I  am  in  excellent  health. 
One  thing  is  sure,"  he  smilingly  added,  "  I  shall  not 
spend  the  remainder  of  my  days  in  indolence." 


XI 

AN    hour's    chat 

"  Don't  forget,  Charles,"  interposed  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly at  this  point,  "  that  you  have  not  yet  retired 
from  your  profession.  It  is  half-past  nine.  I  am 
sure  Mr.  Burnham  will  excuse  you." 

The  president  looked  at  his  watch,  smiled,  and 
with  a  word  of  farewell  took  his  departure.  I 
watched  him  from  the  window  as  he  made  his  way 
among  the  passers,  responding  frequently  to  the  re- 
spectful greetings  of  pupils  or  acquaintances.  And 
after  his  dignified  and  erect  figure  had  disappeared 
from  view  I  continued  to  gaze  at  the  varied  proces- 
sion of  men  and  women  who  left  or  entered  the  great 
hotel,  busy  each  in  his  own  vocation. 

"  I  should  think  there  would  be  great  risk  of  fire 
in  these  tremendous  buildings,"  I  remarked  at  length. 

"  Not  the  slightest,"  Mrs.  Donnelly  repHed. 

"Indeed!     Why?" 

"  For  the  very  simple  reason  that,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  food,  we  possess  scarcely  anything  inflam- 
mable." 

"  And  how  am  I  to  understand  that?  " 

"  Just  look  about  you.     Or,  better  still,  begin  with 


AN    HOUR'S    CHAT  183 

yourself.  Everything  you  are  wearing,  from  your 
head  to  your  feet,  is  fireproof." 

She  paused  a  moment,  apparently  to  enjoy  my 
surprise,  and  continued :  "  All  our  clothing  is  made 
of  slake-wool,  which  is  obtained  from  limestone. 
This  slake-wool  is  so  artistically  prepared  in  our  fac- 
tories, that  it  resembles  linen,  cotton,  wool,  silk, 
hemp,  felt,  or  straw.  But  this  imitation  is  not  the 
main  feature.  The  main  feature  is  that  everything 
manufactured  of  this  material  is  absolutely  incom- 
bustible. Lingerie  made  of  slake-linen  could,  when 
washed,  be  hung  up  in  the  midst  of  fire  to  dry  with- 
out being  scorched.  Besides  clothing  we  manu- 
facture curtains,  carpets,  covers,  wall  papers,  and 
hundreds  of  other  things  of  this  incombustible  slake- 
wool." 

"  It  would  make  excellent  drop  curtains  for  your 
theatres." 

"  Yes,  and  that  is  not  all.  From  the  same  source 
we  make  the  paper  for  our  books  and  newspapers, 
as  well  as  our  writing  paper.  From  this  meagre 
enumeration  you  see  what  an  important  role  it  plays 
with  us.  But  even  if  we  did  not  possess  it,  fire  would 
still  have  no  terrors  for  us.  We  have  a  preparation 
which  renders  all  articles  saturated  or  mixed  with  it 
perfectly  fireproof.  For  instance,  we  mix  all  our 
paints  with  this  liquid,  and  as  a  result  all  our  paint- 
ings are  fireproof.  The  wood  used  for  building  pur- 
poses, furniture,  works  of  art,  rolling  stock,  ships, 


184  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

and  so  forth,  is  first  prepared  with  this  fireproof  Hq- 
uid.  Thus  you  see  why  we  have  no  use  for  fire- 
escapes,  hydrants,  extinguishers.  There  is  practi- 
cally nothing  to  burn.  In  a  few  places  fire  might 
possibly  break  out.  For  instance,  in  our  museums 
we  have  antiques  which  have  not  been  prepared. 
And  fire  is  possible  in  some  factories  and  in  our  food 
storehouses.  But  every  room  of  these  buildings  is 
provided  with  mechanical  extinguishing  apparatus, 
and  can  be  hermetically  sealed.  If  fire  does  break 
out  the  extinguishing  apparatus  opens  automati- 
cally, and  a  chemical  vapor  spreads  Hke  a  cloud  and 
fills  the  room.  At  ^the  same  moment  the  iron  fire 
doors  and  windows  close,  and  the  fire  is  smothered 
at  once.  The  ceiling,  walls,  and  furnishings  cannot 
possibly  catch  fire,  as  they  are  all  made  of  fireproof 
material.  It  has  happened,  very  rarely  indeed,  that 
the  contents  of  such  a  room  have  burned  out  entirely, 
but  the  fire  is  extinguished,  as  a  rule,  as  soon  as  it 
breaks  out.  From  our  earliest  years  we  are  taught 
at  school  what  to  do  in  case  fire  breaks  out,  and  how 
to  handle  the  extinguishing  apparatus." 

"  I  don't  wonder  you  take  all  possible  precautions," 
I  remarked.  "  The  objects  of  art  which  I  see  every- 
where must  necessitate  extreme  care.  Indeed,  I 
hardly  understand  how  there  could  have  been  marble 
enough  in  the  world  to  supply  material  for  all  this 
statuary  and  all  these  buildings.  Is  every  man  an 
artist?" 


AN    HOUR'S    CHAT  185 

"  By  no  means.  All  the  marble  you  see  is  artifi- 
cial, and  its  manufacture  is  to-day  as  simple  as  the 
making  of  bricks.  Large  factories  supply  us  with 
marble  in  all  sizes,  forms,  and  colors.  The  fact  that 
you  did  not  recognize  it  as  an  imitation  shows  me 
clearly  how  far  we  have  developed  this  art.  Our 
statues,  our  vases  and  carvings  are  moulded  after 
originals,  made  by  artists.  The  copies  are  then 
touched  up,  polished,  and,  in  short,  treated  in  such  a 
way  that,  on  leaving  the  factories,  they  cannot  be 
distinguished  from  the  originals." 

"  I  certainly  took  them  for  originals,"  I  said,  "  and 
I  doubt  if  any  man,  without  the  closest  scrutiny, 
could  distinguish  between  original  and  copy.  Are 
they  cast  in  moulds?" 

"  Yes,  in  the  case  of  our  artificial  marbles,  ivories, 
and  wood  carvings.  Our  pictures,  too,  are  only 
copies  of  the  masterpieces  of  the  past  and  present. 
They  are  manufactured  by  a  process  similar  to  that 
by  which  the  oleographs  of  your  time  were  produced. 
But  of  course  our  machines  turn  out  far  superior 
work.  Our  paintings  on  glass  are  manufactured 
similarly.  After  the  glass  has  been  printed  with  all 
the  colors  needed,  the  latter  are  burned  in,  and,  of 
course,  they  last  until  the  glass  breaks." 

"  What  is  done  with  the  originals?  " 

"  All  original  works  of  art,  whether  statues,  vases, 
pictures,  carvings,  glass-paintings,  works  in  gold, 
silver,  or  ivory,  naturally  belong,  as  soon  as  they 


186  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

have  been  finished  by  the  respective  artists,  to  man- 
kind, and  are  therefore  placed  in  our  museums." 

"  Then  private  persons  are  no  longer  able  to  hold 
such  originals  in  their  possession?  " 

"What  good  would  that  do?  Of  what  use  was 
it  in  your  time?  Did  not  your  rich  people  pile  up 
treasures  of  art  in  their  palaces  and  thereby  deprive 
the  people  of  them?  As  matters  are  at  present,  all 
our  treasures  of  art  can  be  seen  by  any  one  at  any 
hour  of  the  day  in  our  museums.  And  by  means  of 
our  magnificent  reproductions  we  call  forth  in  every 
one  a  certain  appreciation  of  art,  and  a  certain  love 
of  the  beautiful  and  the  ideal.  Thus  new  thoughts 
and  ideas  are  produced,  and  from  these  thoughts  and 
ideas  new  works  arise." 

As  Mrs.  Donnelly  ceased  speaking  I  rose  and  ex- 
amined with  still  greater  care  the  objects  of  art  in 
the  drawing-room.  But  all  my  artistic  judgment  was 
of  no  avail.  I  could  not  have  distinguished  these 
imitations  from  their  originals.  The  pictures  on  the 
walls  bore  not  the  least  resemblance  to  colored  prints. 
The  brushwork  was  clearly  visible,  and  the  pictures 
had  all  the  life,  spirit,  and  feeling  of  originals. 

"  You  would  be  interested,"  said  Mrs.  Donnelly, 
"  to  see  the  decorations  of  our  large  buildings.  Our 
theatres,  for  instance,  have  walls  and  ceiling  covered 
with  admirable  paintings." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  them,"  I  replied.     "  I  remem- 


AN    UOUR';^    CHAT  187 

ber  we  thought  of  going  last  night.  Are  they  abso- 
lutely at  our  disposal?  " 

"  Absolutely.  As  Pauline  told  you,  all  you  need 
do  is  draw  your  numbered  check  from  one  of  the 
boxes  in  the  hall  of  the  hotel." 

"  And  can  children  attend  the  theatre?  " 

"  No,  only  those  who  have  entered  upon  their 
twenty-first  year.  Minors  are  not  allowed  at  these 
evening  entertainments.  For  them  special  plays  are 
performed  in  the  afternoon,  when  they  are  accom- 
panied by  their  teachers.  For  children  from  eight 
to  fourteen  the  plays  are  given  between  two  and  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon;  for  those  from  fourteen  to 
twenty,  from  four  to  six.  Of  course  our  authorities 
take  care  that  minors  are  taken  to  see  only  such  plays 
as  are  suitable.  We  regard  our  theatres,  opera 
houses,  concert  halls,  and  circuses  as  educational  in- 
stitutions. Small  children  of  less  than  eight  years 
have  their  amusements  in  the  play  schools.  For 
adults  the  evening's  entertainment  begins  at  seven 
and  lasts  until  about  ten." 

"  Your  theatres  must  exercise  a  great  influence  on 
the  culture  and  development  of  the  people." 

"  They  do,  no  doubt.  We  have  one  especially, 
the  Antique  Theatre,  as  we  call  it,  built  in  the  Greek 
style,  where,  from  time  to  time,  Greek  and  Latin 
plays  are  given.  It  is  near  our  museums  in  Morn- 
ingside  Park," 

"  I  hope  to  visit  your  museums  before  long." 


188  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  You  shall,  very  soon.  But  you  will  need  a  guide, 
for  all  the  catalogues  are  printed  in  stenographic 
characters.  Our  museums  furnish  a  history  of  the 
development  of  the  human  race  from  the  most  re- 
mote times  down  to  the  present  day.  In  the  Park, 
not  far  from  the  museums,  are  the  menagerie,  botan- 
ical gardens,  collections  of  stones,  plants,  and  insects, 
as  well  as  many  other  interesting  collections.  You 
would  enjoy  strolling  along  the  streets  of  Hercu- 
laneum  and  Pompeii,  old  London,  old  Vienna,  Pe- 
kin,  or  Cairo.  Then  you  can  make  an  interesting 
journey  around  the  world,  which  takes  only  an  hour, 
in  the  course  of  which  you  pass  through  the  frigid, 
temperate,  and  torrid  zones,  and  see  all  the  charac- 
teristic details  of  each.  Another  journey  is  called 
'  A  Trip  Through  Space,'  and  while  you  are  taking  it, 
the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  fly  over  your  head," 

"  A  most  interesting  journey.  But  I  have  not  seen 
enough  of  this  world  yet,  and  I  am  fond  of  travel. 
I  suppose  travelling  is  easier  than  formerly." 

"  Yes,  we  travel  much  more  than  you  did.  It  costs 
nothing,  and  all  of  us  have  the  necessary  leisure. 
That  is,  every  one  has  three  months  in  the  year  at  his 
disposal,  which  he  may  employ  as  he  likes.  Most 
of  us  spend  that  time  in  travelling.  Besides  our  ex- 
presses we  have  what  we  call  our  *  snail-trains.'  The 
expresses  always  take  the  shortest  way,  paying  no 
attention  to  the  beauties  of  nature;  their  object  is  to 
make  a  journey  in  the  shortest  possible  time.     The 


AN    HOUR'S    CHAT  189 

snail-trains  go  slowly;  in  summer  they  have  open 
cars;  and  they  purposely  travel  among  the  most  in- 
teresting and  beautiful  scenery.  Trains  of  both 
classes  are  fitted  out  most  luxuriously,  and  have  every 
comfort  possible.  In  fact,  we  can  live  in  them  ex- 
actly as  in  our  hotels.  Meals,  baths,  and  beds  are  at 
the  disposal  of  every  traveller.  The  slow  trains  are 
used  very  often  by  our  children,  whose  teachers  go 
with  them,  and  point  out  the  beauties  and  wonders 
of  nature.  Our  passenger  ships,  propelled  and 
managed  by  electricity,  cross  the  ocean  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  at  the  same  speed  as  our  express  trains. 
Complete  trips  around  the  world  are  mere  trifles  to- 
day. Every  healthy  person  visits,  at  least  once  dur- 
ing his  life,  all  the  most  remarkable  localities  on  the 
surface  of  this  beautiful  earth.  i\.nd  as  there  is  at 
present  practically  no  difference  between  the  cities 
of  the  earth,  or  between  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  various  nationalities,  we  devote  the  time  spent 
in  travelling  mostly  to  the  study  of  nature." 

"  I  suppose  the  bicycle  has  long  since  been  aban- 
doned as  a  means  of  travel?  " 

"  Yes.  Its  only  use  to-day  would  be  to  furnish 
bodily  exercise,  and  for  that  purpose  there  are,  and 
always  have  been,  better  substitutes." 

"  You  have  told  me  something,  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I 
said,  "  of  the  honors  you  pay  to  such  persons  as  at- 
tain eminence  in  their  callings.     Is  there  any  special 


190  TEE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

deference  you  pay  to  their  memory  after  death?  Foi 
instance,  have  you  any  special  place  of  burial?  " 

"Burial!"  cried  Mrs.  Donnelly  in  astonishment. 
"  I  hardly  supposed  you  would  expect  to  find  a  ceme- 
tery in  the  year  2000.  We  have  none.  All  our 
dead  are  cremated.  Our  city  crematory  is  on  Black- 
well's  Island." 

"  I  do  not  wonder  at  your  answer,"  I  replied  slowly, 
"  for  even  a  hundred  years  ago  enlightened  people 
already  favored  this  scientific  procedure.  How  long 
is  mourning  usually  worn?  " 

"  We  have  no  mourning  clothes.  At  a  cremation 
we  wear  black  clothes,  but  at  other  times  whatever 
kind  suits  us.  We  mourn,  not  with  our  clothes,  but 
in  our  hearts.  If  we  do  not  grieve  in  our  heart,  the 
wearing  of  mourning  is  an  ungodly  piece  of  decep- 
tion. Young  people  sometimes  wear  a  black  band 
on  the  upper  left  sleeve  for  about  two  weeks,  but,  as 
I  have  said,  we  do  not  look  with  much  approval  on 
outward  symbols  of  mourning." 

"  And  your  hospitals?  "  I  asked.  "  You  must 
have  many." 

"  Yes,  we  have  several.  We  can  scarcely  hope  to 
drive  out  sickness  entirely,  but  according  to  our  sta- 
tisticians there  were  eight  times  as  many  hospitals 
in  your  day  as  there  are  now.  We  have  hospitals 
in  the  city,  on  the  seashore,  on  the  mountains,  and 
in  the  valleys;  in  short,  wherever  we  think  that  they 


AN    HOUR'S    CHAT  191 

will  be  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  our  invalids.  We 
can  call  the  doctors  from  the  city  hospitals  for  treat- 
ment in  our  dwellings,  if  we  choose,  but  most  invalids 
prefer  to  go  to  hospitals,  because  there  each  patient 
has  a  separate  room,  has  the  best  of  care,  the  most 
skilful  physicians,  and  all  the  necessary  medicines 
and  appurtenances  are  at  hand.  But  every  one  does 
his  utmost  to  avoid  falling  sick.  We  devote  great 
attention  to  the  prevention  of  disease.  Epidemics 
are  an  impossibility  at  the  present  day." 

"  You  are  certainly  much  cleaner  than  were  the 
people  of  my  day." 

"  Yes.  Our  manner  of  life  is  entirely  dififerent, 
much  more  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  reason, 
and  much  more  conducive  to  health.  We  have  en- 
tirely put  an  end  to  many  dirty  and  disease-spread- 
ing habits.  You  must  have  noticed  the  universal 
cleanliness  which  prevails  everywhere — in  the  streets, 
in  our  houses,  on  railway,  and  in  street  cars.  Our 
authorities  for  the  enforcement  of  cleanliness  are  our 
women,  in  whom  the  love  of  cleanliness  is  inborn, 
and  every  woman  has  the  right  to  call  to  task  any 
one  who  breaks  any  rule  of  health." 

"  Yet  there  must  be  many  diseases  which  you  are 
unable  entirely  to  stamp  out.  For  instance,  con- 
sumption." 

"  Consumption  is  at  present  of  very  rare  occur- 
rence.    Our  preventive  for  it  is  simple,  and  at  the 


192  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

disposal  of  every  one :  fresh  mountain  or  sea  air,  sun- 
light, exercise  in  the  open  air,  good  food,  daily  baths, 
and  not  too  much  hard  work.  One  who  is  weak- 
lunged  needs  but  to  avail  himself  of  these  natural 
remedies,  and  in  a  short  time  he  will  be  so  strong  that 
the  sickness  cannot  fasten  upon  him.  We  find  it 
much  simpler  and  easier  to  prevent  sickness  than 
to  cure  it.  Whether  we  are  right  in  believing  that 
the  men  of  to-day  are  taller,  stronger,  more  erect,  and 
healthier  than  were  the  people  of  your  day,  I  must 
leave  to  you  to  decide.  Sure  it  is  that  to-day  every 
one  knows  that  good  looks  come  from  good  health, 
and  that  good  health  is  the  result  largely  of  plenty 
of  exercise  in  the  open  air.  We  are  not  much  ad- 
dicted to  staying  indoors.  Our  children  spend  most 
of  their  time  in  the  open  air,  and  their  instruction  is 
given  out  of  doors  as  far  as  possible.  In  addition, 
we  frequently  take  the  children  into  the  mountains 
or  out  on  the  ocean.  Our  whole  city,  you  might  say, 
is  a  big  garden  without  dust  and  dirt.  We  work  only 
for  a  few  hours  a  day.  Our  factories  are  all  provided 
with  the  most  modern  hygienic  appliances.  In  our 
free  times  we,  too,  are  as  much  as  possible  out  of 
doors.  Our  hotels  are  splendidly  equipped,  and  our 
meals  are  prepared  with  due  attention  to  scientific 
requirements.  You  see,  we  make  it  as  difficult  as 
possible  for  the  germs  of  sickness  to  take  hold  of  us." 
"  I  think  you  are  right,  Mrs.  Donnelly,"  I  said, 
as  I  rose  to  take  my  leave.     "  It  seems  almost  humili- 


AN    HOUR'S    CHAT  193 

ating  to  admit  it,  but,  so  far  as  I  have  observed,  your 
men  are,  in  fact,  stronger,  handsomer,  and  more  erect 
than  were  my  overworked  contemporaries.  As  for 
your  women,  I  admit  their  superiority  without  shame 
or  hesitation." 
18 


XII 

IN    THE   AIRSHIP 

It  was  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  a  rap 
sounded  at  the  door  of  my  room,  a  famiUar  footstep 
entered,  and  the  president's  voice  exclaimed :  "  Well, 
are  we  ready  for  our  voyage  in  the  airship?  Con- 
ditions could  not  be  better.  There  is  scarcely  any 
wind,  and  the  sky  is  cloudless.  Faulkland's  vessel 
ought  to  do  her  best  to-day." 

"  I  am  ready  and  waiting,"  I  replied. 

We  departed  at  once,  took  a  car  westward  at  the 
nearest  cross  street,  a  few  minutes  later  descended  not 
far  from  the  shore  of  the  North  River,  and  there 
entered  a  luxurious  electric  carriage,  which  whirled 
us  rapidly  along  the  green-bordered  avenue  by  the 
river  bank. 

At  our  left  unrolled  a  varied  and  fascinating  pano- 
rama. Under  the  warm  sun  the  waters  of  the  Hud- 
son sparkled  clear,  traversed  here  and  there  by  swift 
and  noiseless  ferryboats  and  crossed  by  lofty  bridges. 
And  on  its  hither  bank  lay,  in  succession,  verdant 
parks  and  playgrounds,  splendid  buildings,  and, 
finally,  a  series  of  great  docks,  beside  which  were 
moored  an  endless  row  of  freight  vessels.      Giant 


IN    THE    AIRSHIP  195 

cranes  hoisted  the  ships'  cargoes  from  their  holds 
and  deposited  them  in  electric  vans,  to  be  quickly 
transported  into  the  massive  storehouses  lying  some 
distance  back  from  shore. 

We  had  reached  our  destination,  an  open  space 
of  several  hundred  yards  area,  now  filled  with  an 
animated  and  restless  throng  of  people.  In  their 
midst,  resting  quietly  on  a  framelike  cradle,  a  short 
distance  above  the  ground,  lay  a  long,  grayish  ob- 
ject, only  partially  visible  to  us  on  account  of  the 
crowds  that  surrounded  it.  We  approached  it  nearer, 
threading  our  way  through  the  moving  crowd. 

It  was  the  airship — a  ship  in  fact,  so  shaped  that  it 
could  rest  and  be  propelled  in  the  water  also.  Its 
body  was  gray,  relieved  by  decorations  in  white  and 
gold.  A  roof,  constructed  so  as  to  protect  the  pas- 
sengers and  to  diminish  the  resistance  to  the  air, 
covered  its  deck.  From  its  bow  and  stern,  and  from 
several  places  along  its  sides,  projected  various  pieces 
of  delicate,  truss-hke  machinery.  And  from  its  sides, 
a  little  forward  of  amidships,  there  issued  two  tre- 
mendous, bat-like  wings,  like  great  white  sails,  now 
furled  and  lying  nearly  horizontal,  but  vibrating 
gently,  as  if  impatient  to  begin  their  aerial  flight. 
No  balloon  was  visible,  nor  any  trace  of  one.  The 
vessel's  deck  looked  as  though  it  might  easily  ac- 
commodate a  hundred  passengers. 

We  walked  carefully  around  it,  viewing  from  all 
sides  its  slender  and  graceful  proportions. 


196  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  How  does  it  ascend?  "  I  asked.  "  I  see  no  bal- 
loon or  gas  receptacle.  Do  the  wings  raise  and  keep 
it  in  the  air?  " 

"  No,  the  wings  serve  only  to  regulate  in  general 
the  course  of  the  vessel  and  to  steady  it,  acting  as  an 
aeroplane  or  parachute.  The  real  motive  power  is 
a  machine  which  embodies  a  most  important  prin- 
ciple, lately  put  in  operation,  by  which  the  force  of 
gravity  may  be  counteracted  to  any  extent,  within 
the  control  of  the  engineer.  Thus  the  vessel,  instead 
of  being  attracted  by  the  earth,  may  be  repelled  by 
it;  that  is  to  say,  may  have  a  tendency  to  ascend  in- 
stead of  to  descend.  This  repulsion  may  be  absolutely 
regulated,  and  the  vessel's  ascent  and  stability  in 
the  air  assured.  Its  propulsion  and  dirigibility  are 
comparatively  easy  matters,  and  we  have  no  trouble 
on  those  points." 

A  ladder-like  staircase  lay  against  the  side  of  the 
vessel.  This  we  mounted,  and,  climbing  to  the  deck, 
entered  that  portion  apparently  set  aside  for  passen- 
gers. Among  the  fifty  or  more  persons  there  as- 
sembled, my  watchful  eye  caught  sight  of  Miss  Don- 
nelly, seated  in  a  camp  chair  by  the  rail,  apparently 
intently  watching  the  surrounding  crowd.  Beside 
her  sat  Mr.  Faulkland,  and  a  third  chair,  empty  and 
tolded,  was  leaned  against  the  rail.  The  president 
and  I  went  toward  them  at  once. 

"  What  are  our  prospects,  Mr.  Faulkland?  "  asked 


IN    TUE    AIRSHIP  197 

Air.  Donnelly,  as  soon  as  the  mutual  salutations  had 
been  exchanged. 

"  I  don't  see  how  they  could  be  better.  The  ma- 
chinery is  in  working  order,  and  the  weather  is  per- 
fect," replied  the  young  man,  with  a  smile.  "  Ex- 
cept for  some  accident " 

*'  Oh,  don't  speak  of  accidents,"  interrupted  Miss 
Donnelly.  "  I  don't  want  to  think  of  such  a  thing. 
Now,  Ned,  I'm  sure  you're  wanted  elsewhere.  Don't 
wait  here  any  longer.  Uncle  and  Mr.  Burnham  will 
take  these  chairs." 

We  all  laughed,  Mr,  Faulkland  a  little  less  spon- 
taneously than  the  rest  of  us,  and  as  he  walked  away, 
the  older  gentleman  and  I  adjusted  our  chairs  and 
sat  down. 

"Where  is  Aunt  Harriet?"  asked  Miss  Donnelly. 
"  Isn't  she  coming?  " 

"  She  felt  a  little  timid  about  it,"  the  president  re- 
plied, "  quite  unnecessarily,  of  course,  but  I  didn't 
press  the  matter,  and  she  finally  decided  to  stay  at 
home." 

"  Is  this  your  first  air  voyage,  Miss  Donnelly?  "  I 
asked. 

"  Yes.  Mr.  Faulkland  has  urged  me  to  go  be- 
fore, but  I  never  have,  though  ladies  do  go.  But 
somehow  I  have  never  felt  like  going." 

"  Perhaps  you  never  had  the  mechanism  of  the 
vessel  thoroughly  explained  to  you,"  remarked  her 
uncle. 


198  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  I  think  Ned  has  told  me  all  about  it.  He  is  quite 
engrossed  in  anything  mechanical,  you  know.  In- 
deed, he  ought  to  be,  for  this  airship  is  more  his  in- 
vention than  any  one  else's.  I  know  it's  very  im- 
portant, but  I'm  not  much  interested  in  the  details  of 
machinery." 

"  That  small  enclosure  amidships,  Mr.  Burnham," 
observed  the  president,  "  contains  the  apparatus  for 
wireless  telegraphy.  If  you  look  through  the  win- 
dow you  can  see  it  plainly." 

Thus  urged,  I  rose  and  took  a  hasty  look  through 
the  window.  On  touching  the  pane  of  glass,  how- 
ever, I  found  that  it  yielded  to  my  pressure,  and  bent 
readily,  though  transparent  and  to  all  appearance 
resembling  ordinary  glass. 

"  The  glass  is  a  new  invention,"  the  president  re- 
marked. "  It  can  be  rolled  and  cut,  like  cloth.  It 
will  neither  burn  nor  break,  nor  is  it  frosted  by  the 
cold." 

"  You  employ  wireless  telegraphy,  then  ?  "  I  in- 
quired. 

"  Yes,  for  almost  all  purposes,  especially  where  the 
laying  of  wires  is  connected  with  any  difficulty,  ex- 
cept for  phototelegrams.  Our  inventors  have  not 
yet  succeeded  in  transmitting  photographs  by  the 
wireless  method.  For  my  part,  I  believe  that  the  art 
of  wireless  telegraphy  is  now  almost  at  its  zenith,  ex- 
cept that  the  mechanism  employed  may  perhaps  be 
simplified." 


IN    THE   AIRSHIP  109 

At  this  point  the  stroke  of  a  bell  was  heard,  and 
several  persons  who  did  not  intend  to  take  the  trip 
hurried  to  land,  while  other  late  comers  scrambled 
up  the  ladder.  A  second  bell  was  sounded,  the  sur- 
rounding crowd  fell  back,  we  felt  a  slight  vibration 
as  the  internal  machinery  of  the  vessel  was  set  in 
motion,  the  mighty  wings  expanded,  and  amid  the 
cheers  of  the  spectators  our  airship  rose,  like  a  gi- 
gantic bird,  majestically  upward,  as  though  borne  by 
invisible  hands. 

As  we  rose.  Miss  Donnelly's  brows  contracted,  and 
with  an  unconscious  gesture  she  laid  her  hand  upon 
my  arm.  But  her  appearance  of  nervousness  in- 
stantly passed  away,  and  was  followed  by  an  expres- 
sion of  rapt  enjoyment  as  our  ship  mounted  higher 
and  higher,  until  the  mighty  wings  ceased  their  labor 
and  we  seemed  to  rest  perched  upon  the  clouds.  We 
had  been  ascending  vertically,  but  now  our  upward 
movement  ceased,  and  the  vessel  began  ploughing 
its  way  forward,  with  moderate  rapidity,  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Jersey  shore,  remaining  always  at  the  same 
altitude. 

"  How  glorious  this  is !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Donnelly. 
"  It  is  absolutely  god-like!  " 

"  Look  ahead,  Mr.  Burnham,"  the  president  re- 
marked, "  and  see  what  our  country  lands  are  like." 

I  took  the  field-glass  which  he  handed  me,  and 
gazed  beyond  the  shore  over  the  expanse  of  what 
had  seemed  to  be  farmland.     I  could  scarcely  believe 


200  TEE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

the  witness  of  my  eyes.  Beyond  the  green  margin 
of  the  river  there  stretched  miles  of  rich  fields,  luxu- 
riant meadows,  wondrous  gardens,  proud  forests,  and 
ghttering  ponds. 

Huge  buildings,  and  a  countless  number  of  hot- 
houses stood  at  regular  intervals  in  the  rich  green 
of  this  splendid  vista.  Scattered  here  and  there  were 
hundreds  of  domestic  animals,  cattle,  pigs,  sheep, 
goats,  and  fowls,  some  in  enclosures,  some  roaming 
at  large.  Men  and  women  were  working,  aided  by 
a  variety  of  machines,  everywhere,  in  garden,  field, 
meadow,  and  wood.  Over  the  asphalted  country 
roads  large  electric  wagons,  empty  or  laden,  were 
moving  to  and  fro.  And  in  every  direction  I  saw 
the  fine,  silvery  arms  of  the  irrigation  ditches  extend- 
ing Hke  a  gigantic  network.  The  most  remarkable 
feature,  however,  of  these  model  agricultural  estab- 
lishments was  the  multiplicity  of  mighty  electric 
lamps,  certainly  adequate  to  convert  night  into  day, 
and  to  enable  men  to  follow  their  pursuits  uninter- 
ruptedly. 

"  Your  farmers  must  lead  an  enviable  life,"  I  re- 
marked, as  I  lowered  my  field-glass.  "  They  may  re- 
side as  gentlemen  in  New  York,  and  in  the  morning 
take  the  cars  to  ride  afield  to  their  work." 

"  Our  farmers !  "  President  Donnelly  laughingly 
replied.  "  We  have  none  in  the  sense  of  a  century 
ago.  We  should  consider  it  an  injustice  to  relegate 
thousands  of  human  beings  to  the  wilderness,  to  rob 


IN   THE   AIRSHIP  201 

them  of  every  opportunity  of  education  and  of  pleas- 
ure, to  treat  them  with  contempt,  though  they  fur- 
nished us  with  the  necessaries  of  Hfe.  Every  human 
being  now  has  the  same  share  of  the  good  things  of 
earth." 

"  Then  how  are  your  farms  managed?  " 
"  All  our  farms  are  operated  in  accordance  with 
the  rules  of  science.  Agriculture  is  a  science  highly 
developed,  and  must  be  studied  thoroughly.  We 
have  succeeded  in  enhancing  the  productivity  of  the 
soil,  and  in  successfully  warding  off  destructive  in- 
fluences, so  that  now  the  fertility  of  the  earth  is  ex- 
haustless,  and  we  can  have  any  and  every  kind  of 
food  at  any  time  and  in  any  quantity.  Vast  expanses 
of  land,  which  in  your  time  were  desert,  have  been 
converted  into  blooming  gardens,  into  fields  of  wav- 
ing grain,  or  majestic  forests.  These  wonderful 
changes  have  been  wrought  by  our  excellent  system 
of  irrigation,  as  well  as  by  the  artful  utilization  of  the 
sun's  heat,  and  by  the  artificial  heating  of  the  soil. 
Sterile  tracts  of  land  exist  no  longer.  We  can,  if 
necessary,  even  produce  grain  in  water,  in  sand,  even 
on  rocks  and  barren  hills." 

"  You  doubtless  have  experimental  stations?  " 

"  We  do,  and  their  discoveries  are  exploited  on  a 

large  scale  upon  our  farms.     We  employ  as  fertilizers 

the  ofifal  of  abattoirs  and  fisheries,  kitchen  refuse,  and 

many  other  materials  once  discarded  and  destroyed." 


202  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  I  see  many  machines  in  use  on  these  farms  below 
us." 

"  Yes.  The  work  of  cultivating,  sowing,  hoeing, 
rolling,  cutting,  binding,  threshing,  cleansing,  and 
storing  is  performed  with  the  aid  of  machines,  and 
farm  labor  has  become  a  source  of  pleasure  and  of 
health.  Fish  are  either  bred  in  large  ponds,  or  are 
obtained  by  means  of  electricity  from  rivers,  lakes, 
and  the  sea.  Poultry  are  kept  in  large  yards,  and 
thousands  of  electric  hatching-machines  are  in  opera- 
tion in  houses  built  especially  for  this  purpose.  The 
stables  in  which  our  cattle  are  kept  are  far  superior 
to  those  of  your  time.  They  are  scrupulously  clean, 
high,  large,  and  well  lighted  and  ventilated.  The 
floor  is  of  cement,  the  walls  and  ceiling  are  of  arti- 
ficial marble.  Pure,  fresh  water  runs  before  each 
animal.  Automatic  feeding-apparatus  are  provided; 
milking-machines  conduct  the  milk  from  the  animal 
either  into  cans  or  into  machines  for  making  butter 
and  cheese.  Bathing-troughs,  furnished  with  run- 
ning water,  and  shower  baths  afford  refreshment  to 
the  creatures,  when  inclemency  of  weather  precludes 
bathing  in  open  air.  Our  game  is  kept  in  enclosed 
forest  reservations,  and  is  provided  for  like  our  cattle. 
We  no  longer  hunt  animals  for  wanton  sport." 

"  Your  methods  could  hardly  be  improved  on." 

"  No.  Modern  agriculture  and  forestry  are  re- 
duced to  the  exactitude  of  factory  work.  Famines, 
such  as  occurred  with  appalling  regularity  in  India, 


IN    THE    AIRSHIP  203 

Russia,  and  elsewhere,  are  an  impossibility.  No 
more  do  we  hear  of  human  beings  starving  by  thou- 
sands; superabundance  of  the  necessaries  of  life  ob- 
tains everywhere.  Wars  and  epidemics,  whereby 
one  part  of  humanity  perished  to  save  another  from 
starvation,  are  no  longer  needful  evils.  Our  rational, 
scientific  procedure  in  producing  and  obtaining  the 
various  foods,  guarantees  to  every  human  being  a 
full  stomach,  and  this  full  stomach  produces  content- 
ment with  our  institutions.  Content  or  discontent 
arises  for  the  most  part  from  the  stomach." 

"  Very  true.  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  thought  of 
it  in  those  terms.  Indeed,  I  don't  know  that  I  ever 
considered  whether  content  was  desirable." 

"  At  all  events,  the  farmer  was  seldom  content. 
And  the  dwellers  in  cities  rarely  beheld  the  beauty 
of  rural  life.  They  were,  therefore,  almost  entirely 
ignorant  of  the  most  necessary  occupation  of  man- 
kind ;  namely,  the  production  of  the  different  kinds  of 
food.  If  they  ever  chanced  to  go  into  the  country, 
then  they  looked  with  contempt  upon  the  farmer,  be- 
cause they  did  not  know  much  about  him.  Nor  were 
the  farmers  placed  in  better  circumstances.  When- 
ever they  would  come  into  the  city,  their  rusticity 
of  manners  called  forth  ridicule.  Being  strangers 
to  the  refinements  of  life,  to  science,  literature,  and 
art,  they  did  not  believe  that  the  achievements  of 
science  could  be  of  any  benefit  to  them." 

For  perhaps  twenty  minutes  our  airship  had  con- 


204  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

tinued  in  its  course  due  west.  Now,  turning  north- 
ward, and  soon  veering  to  the  east,  it  gradually  ap- 
proached again  the  waters  of  the  Hudson,  which  for 
some  time  had  been  invisible  to  us.  Below  stretched 
an  apparently  limitless  expanse  of  verdant  farmlands, 
while  afar  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  white  towers 
and  buildings  of  the  great  city,  reflecting  the  rays  of 
the  descending  sun.  Miss  Donnelly  leaned  forward, 
and,  bending  over  the  rail,  gazed  intently  at  the  land- 
scape below. 

"  How  I  should  like  to  bring  the  children  out  into 
this  lovely  country !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  x\nd  look ! 
Wherever  we  pass,  the  people  in  the  fields  stop  and 
shade  their  eyes  and  look  up  at  us,  just  Hke  the  pic- 
ture at  the  museum.     It  is  too  amusing !  " 

"  Would  you  bring  your  classes  out  in  an  airship, 
Miss  Donnelly?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  indeed.  They  would  all  jump  overboard. 
I  shouldn't  have  a  moment's  peace.  I  will  take  them 
out  by  car.  You  know,  it  is  part  of  their  school 
work." 

''Indeed!" 

"  Yes,"  said  President  Donnelly,  "  the  teachers 
accompany  their  classes  once  a  week  on  a  visit  to  our 
farms.  The  employees  conduct  them  through,  ex- 
plaining to  them  everything  about  the  fields,  stables, 
greenhouses,  poultry-yards,  fish  ponds,  and  so  on. 
It  goes  without  saying  that  this  course  of  instruction 
in   husbandry   is   graded.      The   little   ones   receive 


IN    THE   AIRSHIP  205 

merely  object  lessons,  while  the  older  pupils  are  re- 
quired to  demonstrate  what  knowledge  they  have 
acquired.  For  this  end  we  have  provided  miniature 
farms.  Here  they  are  taught  agriculture  and  the 
use  of  the  various  tools  and  machines.  Children  that 
show  a  marked  predilection  for  this  kind  of  work 
receive  special  care  and  training.  Every  child  per- 
forms annually  about  forty  days'  farm  labor.  All 
in  all,  we  have  about  five  hundred  and  sixty  days 
spent  in  husbandry  by  each  child.  It  stands  to  rea- 
son that  a  child  of  even  moderate  ability  must  thus 
learn  considerable  of  that  art  which  supplies  all 
things  necessary  for  food." 

"  And  you  know,  Uncle  Charles,"  added  Miss  Don- 
nelly, "  that  tlie  vacations  bring  the  children  into  the 
country  in  the  summer  months," 

"  Yes,  that  helps  them  also.  You  see,  Mr.  Burn- 
ham,  we  try  by  the  inductive  method  to  render  edu- 
cation not  irksome,  but  agreeable.  Still,  we  do  not 
profess  to  make  practical  husbandmen  in  this  man- 
ner. This  course  of  instruction  serves  merely  to 
awaken  an  interest.  All  children  who  manifest  a 
predilection  for  husbandry  are,  on  reaching  their 
twentieth  year,  if  they  consent,  taken  in  charge  by 
experienced  husbandmen,  and  thoroughly  instructed 
in  that  branch  for  which  they  show  the  greatest  apti- 
tude. In  case  there  should  ever  be  a  scarcity  of  farm 
laborers,  which  has  never  as  yet  occurred,  but  which 
may  happen,  all  young  men  from  twenty  to  twenty- 


206  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

five  years  of  age  may  be  summoned  to  render  assist- 
ance. This  same  rule  applies  also  to  all  kinds  of 
labor  which  do  not  involve  particular  mental  apti- 
tude." 

"  What  finally  becomes  of  the  young  volunteer 
farm  laborers?"  I  asked. 

"  A  large  number  find  happiness  in  their  whole- 
some occupation  and  espouse  it  for  life.  Then  there 
are  many  who  are  in  precarious  health,  and  who  of 
their  own  free  will  apply  for  farm  work.  You  can 
readily  understand  that  our  youth,  instructed  as  they 
are  in  the  art  of  farming,  do  not  in  the  least  resemble 
the  farmers  of  your  epoch.  Every  one  of  them  is 
an  educated  man,  who  works  but  four  hours  a  day 
on  an  average.  As  most  of  our  farms  are  near  our 
cities,  or  at  least  not  far  distant,  and  as  electric  con- 
veyance is  in  use  everywhere,  every  farm  laborer, 
his  work  done  for  the  day,  may  reach  the  heart  of 
the  city  in  a  short  time,  where  hotels,  theatres,  con- 
certs, and  other  places  of  amusement  and  instruction 
are  at  his  disposal.  In  fact,  most  of  them  dwell  in 
town.  Yet  there  are  some  few,  for  whom  it  would 
be  impossible  on  account  of  the  great  distance  to 
ride  home  every  day.  These  spend  their  leisure  time 
in  specially  built  and  comfortably  furnished  country 
houses.  For  the  most  part  these  people  went  to 
these  distant  places  of  their  own  accord.  Nor  are 
they  cut  off  from  the  world  altogether.  They  re- 
ceive newspapers  daily,  books  are  at  their  disposal. 


IN    THE    AIR8niP  207 

as  are  also  telegraphic  and  telephonic  communica- 
tion, games,  music,  and  other  diversions." 

During  the  president's  last  remarks  our  vessel, 
favored  by  a  light  breeze  which  had  sprung  up,  had 
shot  rapidly  eastward,  crossed  the  waters  of  the  Hud- 
son, and  now,  with  slightly  diminished  speed,  was 
sailing  high  over  the  city  of  New  York  itself. 

"  We  might  easily  call  it  Garden  City,"  I  said,  as  I 
gazed  downward  over  the  airship's  side,  "  for  the 
parks  and  hotel  roofs  make  it  seem  like  one  huge  gar- 
den." 

"  Yes,"  added  Miss  Donnelly,  "  the  roof  gardens 
are  the  flower  beds,  the  parks  are  the  turf  spaces,  and 
the  streets  and  avenues  are  the  gravel  paths.  If  we 
were  giants  we  would  step  out  into  the  paths  and 
walk  about,  our  heads  high  above  the  tops  of  the 
hotels." 

"  What  an  idea  it  gives  of  our  own  insignificance, 
to  see  those  black  specks  below  us,  and  to  know  that 
each  one  is  a  human  being  like  ourselves!  " 

"  x\nd  see !  They  are  waving  their  hats  and  shout- 
ing, apparently,  though  I  can't  hear  a  sound.  Dear 
me !  We  are  passing  them  all,  and  here  we  are  al- 
most over  the  East  River." 

"  That  must  be  Blackwell's  Island,"  I  continued. 
"  What  are  those  splendid  buildings  among  the  gar- 
dens and  the  trees,  with  roads  leading  ofif  in  all  direc- 
tions?" 

"  Those,"  replied  the  president,  "  are  our  asylums 


208  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

for  the  blind,  the  crippled,  the  deaf  mutes,  and  the 
insane.  These  unfortunates  are  under  the  care  of 
the  very  best  physicians  and  teachers,  and  many 
cures  are  effected.  As  far  as  their  faculties  permit, 
they  make  themselves  useful  in  various  manufactur- 
ing establishments  which  we  have  provided  for  them, 
and  some  of  their  workmanship  is  extraordinarily 
good.  By  means  of  libraries,  theatres,  concerts,  and 
various  other  instructive  entertainments  we  try  to 
mitigate,  so  far  as  possible,  the  sadness  of  their  lot." 

"  And  that  tall,  dark  building,"  I  exclaimed,  "  at 
the  end  of  the  island,  surrounded  by  weeping  willows 
— it  had  almost  escaped  my  notice.  But  you  need 
not  tell  me.  Its  appearance  proclaims  its  character. 
It  is  your  crematory." 

The  president  rose,  and,  folding  his  camp  stool,  laid 
it  against  the  rail. 

"  I  shall  be  back  presently,"  he  remarked.  "  I 
must  go  and  talk  a  little  to  some  of  the  officials." 

"  Are  you  interested  in  all  that  the  president  has 
been  telling  me.  Miss  Donnelly?  "  I  asked,  as  that 
gentleman  slowly  walked  away  to  join  a  group  at  the 
centre  of  the  deck.  "  He  is  very  good  to  enlighten 
my  ignorance  as  to  the  various  ways  in  which  men 
are  working  for  the  improvement  of  their  fellow- 
men." 

"  I  am  ashamed  to  say  I  heard  very  little  of  it.  It 
is  hard  to  think  of  one's  fellow-man  when  one  is  soar- 
ing like  a  bird  through  space  in  this  glorious  way." 


IN    THE    AIRSHIP  209 

"  Not  very  flattering  to  the  fellow-man  at  your 
side,"  I  remarked. 

She  laughed. 

"  Oh,  I  find  no  difficulty  in  remembering  your  ex- 
istence." 

"  I  am  surprised  that  so  trivial  a  matter  is  retained 
in  your  memory.  " 

"  One  sometimes  is  retentive  of  small  details." 

"  You  must  be  proud  of  Mr.  Faulkland's  success 
with  his  airship,"  I  continued. 

"  I  suppose  I  am.  I  had  never  thought  much 
about  it." 

"  Faulkland  is  a  clever  man." 

"  Yes." 

"  And  a  fine  fellow." 

"  Of  course."  She  turned  and  looked  at  me. 
"  Do  you  think  I  need  to  be  reminded  of  Mr.  Faulk- 
land's virtues?  " 

"  By  no  means.     But  I  can't  speak  ill  of  him." 

"  Then  why  speak  of  him  at  all?  " 

"  I  must." 

"  Why  ?     Don't  you  like  him  ?  " 

"  Except  for  one  thing,  very  much." 

"What  is  that?" 

"  You  surely  know." 

"No.     What  is  it?" 

"  You  love  him." 

She  quickly  turned  her  face  from  me  and  gazed 
out  into  the  warm,  sunlit  space. 
14 


210  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"Do  I?  "she  said. 

Then,  after  an  instant,  sitting  erect  in  her  chair, 
and  looking  down  at  her  folded  hands,  which  tightly 
clasped  each  other  in  her  lap,  she  continued : 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  this  new  world  of  ours? 
There  is  nothing  but  peace  and  happiness  left  in  it, 
is  there?  One  has  no  business  to  have  a  troubled 
mind.  If  he  has,  the  difificulty  lies  with  him.  We 
marry  young — what  I  call  young — and  then  we're 
more  contented.  I  should  have  married  long  ago 
if  I  had  been  as  rational  as  those  about  me.  So  you 
will  be  one  of  us,  of  course,  and  you  will  adopt  all 
our  institutions,  and  you  must  marry,  too.  Let  me 
see,  what  girl  do  I  know  who  will  be  the  one  you 
want  ?  " 

"  Miss  Donnelly,"  I  said,  "  there  is  just  one  reason 
now  why  I  shall  never  marry." 

"  What  is  it?  .  .  .  No,  no!  "  she  added  quickly, 
as  my  lips  parted,  and  she  looked  into  my  face. 
"  Don't  speak !  See,  we  are  almost  home.  We  have 
crossed  the  city  again,  and  in  a  minute  we  shall  be 
over  the  Hudson  once  more.  How  I  have  enjoyed 
our  sail — or  flying.  What  shall  I  call  it?  I  wish 
Aunt  Harriet  could  have  been  with  us.  And  here 
comes  Ned! " 

Faulkland's  step  sounded  sharp  on  the  boarded 
deck  as  he  came  forward,  warm  and  smiling,  to  greet 
us.  His  hands  and  uniform  bore  traces  of  dust  and 
oil,  and  his  face  was  flushed  and  streaked  with  grime. 


IN    THE    AIRSHIP  211 

but  his  whole  appearance  bespoke  the  satisfaction  he 
felt  at  the  successful  termination  of  the  trial  of  his 
vessel. 

"  I  congratulate  you,  Ned,"  said  Miss  Donnelly. 
"  Your  ship  behaved  splendidly." 

"  Yes,  we  could  ask  nothing  better.  Now  that 
we  have  succeeded  in  our  trial  trips  we  shall  enter 
for  the  world's  competition,  and  I  feel  confident  we 
stand  the  best  of  chances  to  have  our  type  of  vessel 
universally  adopted.  But  where  is  President  Don- 
nelly?" 

"  I  really  don't  know.  Oh,  yes,  there  he  is,  in  that 
group  at  the  centre  of  the  deck.  Tell  me,  Ned,  what 
are  those  little  pieces  of  machinery  that  come  out  at 
the  boat's  side,  just  below  us?  I  see  small  wheels 
revolving,  but  I  don't  understand  what  they  are  for." 

"  It  is  rather  difificult  to  explain,  unless  you  under- 
stand the  whole  system  of  our  machinery.  Come 
below,  and  I'll  show  you  the  engines  and  machines, 
and  explain  them  to  you." 

"  No,  not  now.  I  don't  want  to  go  down  into  that 
stuffy  engine-room,  when  we  can  stay  out  in  this 
splendid  air." 

"  But  I  really  wish  you  would,  Pauline.  You  have 
never  had  patience  to  listen  to  my  explanations,  and 
I  am  sure  that  if  you  only  see  it  you  will  be  inter- 
ested." 

"  Very  well,  then,  if  you  insist.  Come,  Mr.  Burn- 
ham."     And,  with  a  quick  gesture,  she  rose.     "  Here, 


212  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

Ned,  take  my  jacket,  please.  No,  your  hands  are 
too  soiled.  Mr.  Burnham,  will  you  be  good  enough 
to  take  it?" 

Lifting  her  jacket  from  the  chair  where  it  lay,  she 
tossed  it  to  me.  I  raised  my  hand  to  catch  it,  but 
Faulkland,  laughing,  sprang  forward  and  intercepted 
it — unfortunately,  without  success,  for  as  he  touched 
it  a  gust  of  wind  caught  it,  raised  it  in  the  air,  and  out 
it  fluttered  over  the  vessel's  side. 

Miss  Donnelly  gave  a  little  scream  and  ran  to  the 
rail,  Faulkland  and  I  following.  Suddenly  the  vibra- 
tion of  the  machinery  stopped,  our  vessel  gave  a 
lurch,  ceased  its  onward  motion,  and  listed  heavily 
to  the  side  on  which  we  were.  Steadying  ourselves 
by  the  rail,  while  behind  us  sounded  the  exclamations 
of  the  startled  passengers,  we  looked  down  over  the 
side  to  discern  the  cause  of  the  trouble.  There  it  was 
— Miss  Donnelly's  jacket,  caught  in  one  of  the  deli- 
cate pieces  of  projecting  machinery,  where  it  hung 
fluttering  in  the  breeze,  and  clogging  the  movement 
of  the  wheels. 

The  airship  was  listing  more  and  more.  Faulk- 
land, with  an  impatient  exclamation,  clambered  up 
and  over  the  rail,  and,  supporting  himself  by  one  of 
the  numerous  hanging  ropes,  and  by  stepping  on  the 
small  metal  projections  that  occurred  at  regular  in- 
tervals along  the  side,  descended  with  great  skill  and 
agility,  and,  holding  the  rope  with  his  right  hand, 


IN    THE    AIRSHIP  213 

with  his  left  disentangled  the  jacket  from  the  delicate 
network  of  wheels  and  rods. 

No  sooner  was  the  obstruction  removed  than  the 
airship,  in  its  efifort  to  regain  its  equilibrium,  swung 
back  with  a  rebound  that  carried  it  almost  an  equal 
distance  over  on  the  other  side.  With  some  diffi- 
culty Miss  Donnelly  and  I  retained  our  hold  on  the 
rail,  against  which  in  another  instant  we  were  flung 
with  violence  as  the  vessel  careened  again.  The 
same  thought  was  in  both  our  minds.  Horror- 
stricken,  and  with  an  anticipation  of  the  worst,  we 
steadied  ourselves  and  gazed  over  the  side. 

He  was  hanging  in  mid-air,  swung  out  from  his 
foothold  by  the  airship's  rocking,  gripping  the  rope 
with  both  hands,  and  apparently  waiting,  with  more 
coolness  than  I  should  have  dared  to  hope,  for  an  op- 
portunity to  plant  his  foot  again  against  the  metal 
rests  on  the  vessel's  side. 

Miss  Donnelly  had  looked  with  me,  and,  as  I  had 
done,  had  taken  in  the  situation  at  a  glance.  In- 
stantly a  shriek  rang  out,  choked  aud  cut  short  as  she 
tightened  her  lips,  realizing  the  efifect  it  might  have 
on  the  man  below. 

He  had  heard,  and  looked  up.  That  look,  the 
diversion  of  his  attention,  loosened  the  clutch  of  his 
hands,  the  rope  swung  loose,  and  we  saw  his  slender 
body  fall  straight,  like  a  plummet,  and  disappear  in 
the  waters  below. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  plash  there  shot 


214  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

up  obliquely  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  just  be- 
low us,  a  long,  oily-looking,  dark-green  object,  like 
the  back  of  a  great  fish.  Emerging  so  that  its 
rounded  back  projected  a.  few  feet  above  the  sur- 
face, it  rolled  over  again,  like  a  porpoise,  and  disap- 
peared. 

Our  airship  had  been  a  hundred  feet  or  so  above 
the  river.  It  had  stopped  its  onward  course  at  once, 
and  now  descended  gently  and  quietly,  until  it  rested 
in  the  water  and  the  waves  played  against  its  sides. 
And  in  another  instant  through  the  depths  of  the 
river  there  shot  powerful  shafts  of  light,  making 
luminous  and  constantly  shifting  pathways,  in  whose 
course  we  could  discern  the  moving  fish,  and  here 
and  there  some  floating  object. 

Miss  Donnelly  had  retained  her  position,  holding 
with  both  hands  to  the  vessel's  rail,  and  gazing  into 
the  waters  with  set  and  stony  face.  I  approached 
her  nearer.  She  looked  up  at  me  as  if  waking  from 
a  dream,  then  quickly  turned  away,  and  flung  up  both 
her  hands  to  hide  her  face. 

"  Leave  me !  "  she  muttered.  "  Leave  me  forever! 
I  hate  you !  " 


XIII 

A   SCHEME    OF   GOVERNMENT 

As  early  after  daybreak  on  the  following  morning 
as  I  thought  I  might  expect  to  find  people  stirring,  I 
issued  from  my  room  and  sought  the  president's 
apartment. 

Our  return  to  land  on  the  previous  afternoon  had 
been  in  melancholy  contrast  to  our  departure.  The 
airship  had,  indeed,  realized  all  the  hopes  of  its  in- 
ventors, but  gratification  at  its  success  was  over- 
whelmed in  universal  sorrow  and  anxiety  as  to  the 
fate  of  its  young  engineer.  Miss  Donnelly,  for  whom 
much  sympathy  was  expressed,  had  after  the  acci- 
dent been  consigned  to  the  care  of  her  uncle,  and  I, 
therefore,  had  been  left  to  my  own  devices,  with  no 
way  of  rendering  assistance  or  even  of  expressing 
my  solicitude. 

But  early  as  I  made  my  morning  call  on  the  presi- 
dent, he  was  already  absent,  and  Mrs.  Donnelly  re- 
ceived me  at  the  door. 

"  Is  there  any  news  ?  "  was  my  first  question. 

"  We  shall  know  in  a  few  moments,"  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly replied.  "  The  president  is  in  the  office  now, 
at  the  telephone,  trying  to  learn  something  definite." 


216  TEE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

"  How  is  Miss  Donnelly?  "  I  continued. 

"  She  was  much  disturbed  and  hysterical  at  first, 
but  after  the  immediate  shock  was  past  she  behaved 
with  great  courage.  She  refused  to  let  me  stay  with 
her,  and  she  insists  that  Mr.  Faulkland  is  safe.  I 
hope  she  feels  as  sure  as  she  pretends.  Poor  girl! 
And  to-day  is  Graduation  Day,  which  she  expected  to 
enjoy  so  much !  " 

"Do  you  think  Mr.  Faulkland  is  safe?" 

"  Mr.  Donnelly  is  inclined  to  think  so.  You  know 
the  general  impression  is  that  he  must  have  been 
picked  up  by  the  submarine  boat,  which  happened 
to  be  going  down  river  as  your  airship  was  return- 
ing, and  which  apparently  dove  after  him  as  soon 
as  he  was  seen  to  fall.  The  only  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance in  that  case  is  that  we  have  received  no 
message." 

As  she  was  concluding  her  sentence  a  rapid  and 
familiar  footfall  was  heard  approaching  along  the  cor- 
ridor, the  door  opened,  and  the  president  appeared. 

"  Faulkland  is  safe !  "  he  exclaimed — "  safe,  that 
is,  in  having  been  rescued  from  the  water.  It  re- 
mains to  be  seen  how  he  recovers  from  the  concus- 
sion of  his  fall." 

"  Tell  us  more  about  it,  Charles,"  said  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly. 

"  Well,  as  we  all  hoped,  he  was  picked  up  by  the 
new  submarine  boat,  which,  as  it  happened,  was  pro- 
ceeding down  the  North  River  to  be  ready  for  her 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  Jil? 

own  trial  trip  off  Sandy  Hook  to-day.  But  the 
shock  of  the  fall  was  so  great  that  Faulkland  was  un- 
conscious when  he  was  rescued,  and  remained  so  for 
most  of  the  night.  It  was  only  this  morning  that  he 
revived  sufificiently  to  disclose  his  identity  and  per- 
mit his  rescuers  to  notify  his  friends.  He  has  been 
taken  to  the  hospital,  and  we  hope  soon  to  have  a 
report  from  the  physicians  and  to  know  definitely  the 
extent  of  his  injuries." 

"  I  am  thankful  it  is  no  worse !  "  Mrs.  Donnelly  ex- 
claimed. "  And  I  am  doubly  thankful  for  Pauline's 
sake.  The  poor  girl  actually  felt  herself  responsible 
for  the  accident.  She  called  herself  a  murderess,  and 
declared  that  she  regretted  a  hundred  times  her 
fickleness  toward  Ned.  I  must  go  and  see  her  at 
once." 

"  I  wish  there  was  something  I  could  do,"  I  said. 
"  I  feel  in  a  measure  responsible  for  Faulkland's  mis- 
hap, and  my  mind  would  be  easier  if  I  could  be  occu- 
pied this  morning  in  some  effort  to  be  of  help." 

"  There  is  nothing  you  or  any  of  us  can  do,"  re- 
plied the  president,  "  except  to  hope.  But  to-day  is 
our  Graduation  Day,  and  if  you  are  unoccupied  you 
might  be  diverted  by  coming  to  our  graduation  ex- 
ercises at  the  university.  It  is  our  last  day  of  school, 
you  know.  We  have  various  addresses  this  morn- 
ing, among  them  one  by  myself,  and  this  afternoon 
occur  our  procession  of  students  and  flower  festival. 
It  is  usually  a  very  joyful  occasion.     I  confess  my 


218  THE    DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

spirits  are  dampened  by  yesterday's  adventure,  but  as 
there  promise  to  be  no  serious  results,  I  think  we 
may  try  not  to  allow  it  to  depress  us  unduly." 

"  Of  course  I  shall  be  glad  to  come,"  I  answered. 
"  What  time  are  the  exercises?  " 

"  At  ten  o'clock,  in  the  large  hall — the  hall  which 
you  should  remember,  as  it  was  there  that  you  were 
born  into  our  world." 

At  this  point  Mrs.  Donnelly  disappeared  into  an 
inner  room,  and,  presently  reappearing  in  street  cos- 
tume, hurried  away  to  join  her  niece.  The  president 
and  I  went  down  to  breakfast.  Breakfast  over,  we 
departed,  he  to  take  up  his  duties  at  the  university, 
and  I  to  kill  as  best  I  could  the  two  or  more  hours 
that  intervened  between  that  time  and  ten  o'clock. 

At  half-past  nine  I  presented  myself  at  the  univer- 
sity, and  followed  the  moving  crowd  into  the  large 
amphitheatre,  where,  two  days  before,  I  had  opened 
my  eyes  upon  the  world  of  a  new  century.  The  rear 
half  of  the  hall  was  already  well  filled  with  spectators; 
the  front  portion  and  the  stage  were  unoccupied, 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  students  and  faculty, 

I  had  not  long  to  wait.  Soon  orchestral  music 
was  heard,  the  large  folding  doors  opened,  and  the 
procession  entered;  first  the  faculty,  headed  by  the 
president,  then  the  army  of  students,  girls  and  youths, 
who  advanced  quickly,  took  their  places,  and  waited 
in  silence  for  the  beginning  of  the  exercises. 

A  hymn  was  sung,  in  which  all  joined,  students 


A   SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  219 

and  spectators.  Then  the  music  came  to  a  close,  a 
moment's  hush  intervened,  and  President  Donnelly 
arose  and  stepped  to  the  desk  at  the  front  of  the 
stage. 

"  Presuming,  my  young  friends,"  he  began,  "  that 
you  desire  to  step  out  into  the  world  with  a  clear  vis- 
ion of  this  new  sphere  of  your  activities,  and  of  your 
own  rights  and  responsibilities  in  it,  I  will  take  this 
occasion  to  review  briefly  the  general  course  of  your 
instruction  during  the  past  few  years,  and  to  present 
before  your  minds  again  the  familiar  picture  of  that 
great  family  of  which  we  all  form  a  part.  It  will  be 
necessary  to  review  first  principles,  in  order  to  arrive 
at  a  fuller  understanding  of  our  subject. 

"  You  know  most  of  our  work  nowadays  is  either 
performed  in  factories,  or  in  a  factory-like  manner. 
Let  this  be  our  starting-point.  Well,  every  one  of 
our  factories  employs,  according  to  circumstances, 
from  five  thousand  to  ten  thousand  persons,  nine- 
tenths  of  whom  are  males.  Children  are  not  em- 
ployed. Women  and  grown-up  girls — that  is,  such 
as  are  above  twenty  years  of  age,  if  applying  of  their 
own  accord  for  factory  work — are  accepted  only 
where  absolutely  necessary. 

"  You  will  understand  that  these  thousands  of 
workers  need  competent  supervision.  Now,  these 
supervisors  are  selected  in  a  very  simple  manner. 
Let  us  take,  for  example,  a  factory  in  which  ten 
thousand  people  are  employed,  and  let  us  see  how 


230  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

the  necessary  foremen,  inspectors,  etc.,  are  procured. 
We  proceed  as  follows:  Each  squad,  consisting  of 
twenty  workmen,  chooses  from  among  its  number 
the  most  competent  laborer  to  be  their  foreman.  In 
this  manner  ten  thousand  workmen  receive  five  hun- 
dred foremen,  who  are  responsible  for  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  the  finished  product.  As  a  matter 
of  course,  each  of  these  foremen  has  charge  of  his 
own  twenty  men  only.  Each  company  of  twenty 
foremen  chooses  from  its  midst  the  most  capable  man 
as  chief  foreman,  whose  duty  it  is  to  control  the  fin- 
ished product  of  the  four  hundred  workmen  and 
twenty  foremen  under  him.  Hence,  our  factory  has, 
besides  five  hundred  foremen,  twenty-five  chief  fore- 
men. 

"  These  twenty-five  chief  foremen  choose  from 
their  number  five  preeminently  capable  men  as  in- 
spectors, and  from  these  five  inspectors  the  best  is 
chosen  director  of  the  factory.  The  directors  of  all 
the  factories  of  New  York,  in  turn,  choose  from 
their  midst  the  most  competent  as  director-general. 
This  director-general  has  his  oi^ce  in  the  City  Hall 
and  all  the  factories  of  New  York  are  under  his  con- 
trol. Hence,  you  see  the  management  of  all  our  fac- 
tories is  intrusted  to  the  very  best  men  only.  They 
all  have  studied  their  business  in  its  entirety,  and 
hence  are  most  capable  of  managing  affairs  wisely. 

"  Warehouses,  agricultural  establishments,  rail- 
ways, navigation  companies,  electric  street-car  serv- 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERXMENT  221 

ice,  mail  service,  telegraphic  and  telephonic  service, 
printing  establishments,  and,  in  general,  all  indus- 
tries in  which  it  suffices  to  possess  the  knowledge 
requisite,  plus  industry,  honesty,  frugality,  and  tem- 
perance, in  order  to  rise  upwards  round  by  round, 
are  regulated  in  the  foregoing  manner.  A  different 
matter  it  is,  however,  to  rise  to  eminence  in  the 
learned  professions,  such  as  engineering,  architec- 
ture, medicine,  and  teaching;  or,  briefly,  in  such 
vocations  as  require  not  only  knowledge,  but  also 
talent,  and  frequent  examinations  by  State  boards, 
in  order  to  insure  success.  With  poets,  composers, 
sculptors,  painters,  actors,  singers,  inventors,  and 
savants,  with  all  professions  requiring  genius,  and, 
as  I  might  say,  stupendous  achievements,  rising  to 
eminence  is  again  a  different  matter.  But  no  mat- 
ter how  the  officers  of  all  these  organizations  are 
chosen,  each  of  them  sends  only  its  very  best  repre- 
sentative to  our  parliament.  Organizations  com- 
posed of  women  only  have  only  female  representa- 
tives in  parliament,  while  those  composed  of  both 
men  and  women  send  both  male  and  female  delegates. 
Each  representative  has  an  office  in  the  City  Hall, 
and  there  are  no  differences  of  rank.  The  director- 
general  of  our  factories,  for  instance,  is  peer  to  the 
president  of  authors,  to  the  directress-general  of  our 
hotels,  to  the  physician-general,  etc.  These  men  and 
women,  the  elite  of  the  entire  population  of  the  city, 
finally  choose  our  two  highest  city  officials,  the  mayor 


222  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

and  the  mayoress.  We  expect  from  women  the  same 
active  cooperation  for  the  common  good  that  we 
expect  from  men.  Why,  then,  should  we  deny  them 
the  right  of  representation?  That  great  wrong  of 
former  days  exists  no  longer.  Women  are  repre- 
sented by  women  all  the  world  over. 

"  Let  us  now  consider  how  our  officials  are  elected. 
Our  elections  occur  in  the  month  of  December,  our 
officials-elect  enter  upon  their  duties  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary following,  and  remain  in  ofifice  for  one  year,  and 
for  one  year  only.  Every  post  to  which  an  individ- 
ual is  chosen  by  the  vote  of  his  comrades  Is  a  post  of 
honor,  without  emolument,  and  eventually  with  an 
increase  of  labor.  Therefore  we  consider  it  an  in- 
justice to  force  the  heavy  burden  of  city  or  State 
management  upon  an  individual  for  several  years. 
And  our  affairs  do  not  suffer  in  consequence  of  these 
frequent  elections.  We  have  no  affairs  of  State  in 
the  sense  of  former  centuries.  War  and  politics  are 
matters  of  the  past.  Our  elections  take  up  little 
time,  and  election  riots  and  frauds  are  impossibilities. 

"  As  to  the  qualification  of  our  ofificials,  it  is  a  fore- 
gone conclusion,  since  they  all  had  to  begin  with  the 
most  simple  and  subordinate  positions  and  work  their 
way  upward,  that  they  must  have  accomplished  some- 
thing extraordinary  in  order  to  remain  conspicuous 
among  their  comrades.  They  have  no  will  of  their 
own  when  the  common  good  is  at  stake.     They  may 


A    SCHEME    OF   GOVERNMENT  223 

express  their  opinions,  like  every  one  else,  but  that 
is  all.     They  must  obey  the  will  of  the  masses, 

"  Now  let  us  proceed,  in  imagination,  to  the  City 
Hall,  and  see  how  business  is  transacted  there  on  the 
first  of  December.  All  our  representatives,  male 
and  female,  assemble  in  the  spacious  hall,  and  after 
short  addresses  by  the  mayor  and  the  mayoress  still 
in  ofBce,  the  election  takes  place.  The  women 
choose  the  future  mayoress,  and  the  men  the  future 
mayor,  from  among  themselves.  The  election,  con- 
ducted in  a  manner  similar  to  that  which  obtains  in 
our  hotels  and  factories,  is  by  ballot,  each  ballot 
signed  by  the  person  casting  it,  and  the  man  and 
woman  receiving  the  most  votes  are  chosen  mayor 
and  mayoress  for  the  ensuing  year,  beginning  Jan- 
uary first. 

"  Mayor  and  mayoress  are,  so  to  speak,  but  one 
person,  inasmuch  as  all  measures  relative  to  munici- 
pal affairs  must  be  approved  by  both.  If  they  fail  to 
agree,  six  male  and  six  female  representatives  are 
chosen  by  lot  to  act  as  jury  and  render  a  decision. 
But  this  rarely  occurs,  since,  as  a  rule,  all  measures 
proposed  are  for  the  good  of  both  sexes. 

"  For  example,  some  years  ago  a  number  of  women 
desired  to  have  the  age  at  which  the  right  of  drink- 
ing begins  changed  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  years. 
A  few  even  wanted  to  have  the  use  of  wine  and  beer 
entirely  abolished.  Our  mayor  and  mayoress  dis- 
agreed, and  a  jury  was  chosen.     Of  these  seven  were 


224  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

averse  to  any  change,  and  five  favored  an  increase 
of  the  age  limit,  so,  of  course,  things  remained  in 
statu  quo. 

"  But  in  this  case,  even  if  prohibition  had  been  de- 
cided on  in  this  city  by  its  own  citizens,  the  city  of 
New  York  would  have  had  to  seek  the  suffrage  of 
two-thirds  of  the  cities  of  the  State,  and  thereafter 
the  governor  of  this  State  would  have  been  obliged 
to  obtain  the  support  of  two-thirds  of  the  remaining 
States.  Even  then  the  prohibition  would  not  have 
become  effectual,  either  in  this  city  or  throughout 
North  America,  though  the  movement  would  have 
been  properly  begun.  New  York  cannot  legislate 
for  itself  in  such  matters.  A  custom  must  obtain 
with  the  consent  of  the  whole  world,  or  not  at  all. 
It  would  have  been  necessary  for  the  President-Gen- 
eral of  the  United  States  of  North  America  to  obtain 
the  assent  of  the  presidents  of  South  America,  Eu- 
rope, Asia,  Africa,  and  Australia,  or  at  least  of  two- 
thirds  of  them,  before  prohibition  could  go  into  ef- 
fect here  or  the  age  limit  could  be  increased.  And 
this  same  method  applies  to  the  rescinding,  as  well 
as  to  the  making,  of  laws. 

"  To  pursue  this  same  subject  a  little  more  in  de- 
tail, each  citizen  learns,  daily,  from  his  newspaper, 
throughout  the  world,  of  every  new  measure  or  law 
proposed.  He  thus  has  time  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject and  form  an  opinion.  In  due  time  meetings  of 
the  citizens  are  called  and  held,  the  matters  are  dis- 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  225 

cussed,  votes  are  taken,  and  resolutions  embodying 
the  sense  of  the  meetings  are  passed  and  engrossed. 
These  resolutions  are  sent  to  the  mayor  and  may- 
oress, thence  to  the  governor  of  the  State,  who,  in 
turn,  transmits  them  to  the  governors  of  the  remain- 
ing States,  and  finally  the  consensus  of  opinion  of  all 
the  States,  in  the  form  of  resolutions  passed  at  popu- 
lar meetings,  reaches  the  national  capital.  Now,  as 
the  same  method  is  followed  simultaneously  in  all 
cities  and  States  throughout  the  world,  the  presi- 
dents, male  and  female,  of  the  six  continents  receive 
almost  at  the  same  time  the  opinions  of  all  men  on 
the  measure  or  law  proposed.  If  there  be  a  majority 
of  two-thirds  of  all  humanity,  the  minority  must  obey. 
In  this  manner  are  decided  all  questions  which  con- 
cern all  mankind. 

"  But  let  us  return  to  our  elections.  As  I  re- 
marked a  few  moments  ago,  all  our  elections  are  held 
in  the  month  of  December.  Mayors  are  elected  on 
the  first  day  of  this  month;  governors  on  the  fifth; 
governors-general  on  the  tenth,  and  presidents  on 
the  fifteenth.  The  mayors  and  mayoresses  of  all  the 
cities  of  a  State  convene  in  the  capital  of  that  State 
on  December  fifth,  and  there  choose  the  future  gov- 
ernor and  governess  in  precisely  the  same  manner 
from  their  midst,  as  they  themselves  have  been  chosen 
from  among  the  representatives.  On  the  tenth  of 
December  the  governors  and  governesses  of  ten 
contiguous  States  convene  in  the  capital  of  the  most 
15 


226  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

central  of  these  ten  States,  and  there  choose  from 
their  midst  the  future  governor-general  and  the 
future  governess-general,  who  are  to  preside  over 
these  ten  States  during  the  ensuing  year.  On  De- 
cember fifteenth  all  the  governors  and  governesses- 
general  of  North  America  convene  in  the  national 
capital — Chicago — and  there  elect  from  their  midst 
the  future  president  and  the  future  presidentess  of 
the  United  States  of  North  America.  These  two 
personages  are  the  highest  officers  of  the  continent. 

"  In  our  present  scheme  of  government  we  believe 
we  realize  humanity's  most  beautiful  dream,  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the  peo- 
ple. Our  government  officers  come  forth  from  the 
midst,  aye,  even  from  the  heart  of  the  people.  Their 
only  duty,  from  the  lowliest  to  the  loftiest,  is  to  see 
that  the  will  of  the  majority  is  carried  out.  They 
cannot  prescribe  or  dictate.  They  possess  so  much 
of  power  only  as  shall  effectuate  the  will  of  the  ma- 
jority. 

"  Now,  what  is  the  will  of  the  majority?  Human 
nature  has  not  changed.  It  has  always  been  the  wish 
of  most  individuals  to  have  the  best  things  at  all 
times  for  themselves.  Such  individuals  are  called 
*  egoists.'     Is  egoism  extinct  ? 

"  Money  exists  no  longer,  we  have  no  private 
enterprises,  no  millionaires,  no  princes,  or  grandees. 
There  only  exist  men,  and  each  one  possesses  as  much 
as  another.     We  have  equal  rights  and  equal  duties. 


A   SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  227 

There  is  no  longer  room  for  any  individual  will  to 
dictate  to  another;  this  world,  as  it  exists  to-day,  has 
been  created  by  the  combined  will  of  the  great  mass 
of  people.  And  the  people  desire  merely  the  most 
beautiful  and  the  best  for  themselves;  so,  having 
the  power  and  the  right  to  accomplish  their  will,  they 
create  an  ideal  world,  containing  naught  but  the  most 
beautiful  and  the  best. 

"  But  does  not  the  will  of  the  great  mass  of  people 
consist  of  so  many  millions  of  individual  wills?  And 
is  it  not  the  will  of  every  man  to  possess  the  most 
beautiful  and  the  best  for  himself  only?  Yes,  every 
individual  still  longs  and  yearns  for  the  most  beauti- 
ful and  the  best  for  himself  only,  as  of  yore,  and, 
seeing  that  this  can  be  accomplished  only  by  uniting 
himself  with  others  who  hold  the  same  view,  he  unites 
himself  with  those  others.  He  wants  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  the  best  for  himself,  and  as  there  is  no  other 
way,  he  consents  that  those  who  aided  him  in  attain- 
ing his  object  shall  also  enjoy  the  same  advantages. 

"  This  united  egoism  of  countless  millions  of  hu- 
man beings  is  no  longer  egoism.  It  is  the  confrater- 
nization  of  all  mankind,  that  stupendous  force  which 
has  prevailed  to  transmute  the  valley  of  tears  of  for- 
mer days  into  this  terrestrial  paradise  of  the  present. 

"  I  said  a  few  moments  ago  that  everybody  on 
reaching  the  age  of  twenty  years  enters  some  useful 
employment.  Hence,  every  individual  belongs  to 
some  union,  and  is,  therefore,  both  qualified  to  vote 


228  THE   DAY   OF   PROSPERITY 

and  eligible  to  office.  Let  us  assume  that  such  a 
young  person,  male  or  female,  has  extraordinary 
luck,  is  promoted  the  very  first  year,  and  rises  an- 
nually step  by  step  to  the  highest  pinnacle.  Let  us 
consider  that  possibility.  It  is  a  possibiHty,  though 
hitherto  no  one  has  been  so  successful.  Let  us  as- 
sume the  case  of  a  young  man  of  twenty  years  enter- 
ing a  factory.  You  will  remember  that  we  do  not 
regard  such  a  stripling  as  fully  competent,  but  merely 
as  an  aid  to  his  elders.  Of  course,  it  is  a  foregone 
conclusion  that  no  one  can,  in  our  training  schools, 
acquire  such  perfection  as  makes  him  peer  to  an  ac- 
complished artisan.  Our  schools  do  not  pretend  to 
send  forth  perfect  artisans.  Our  youth  are  taught 
in  various  trades  merely  for  the  purpose  of  develop- 
ing their  bodily  strength,  of  awakening  in  them  an 
interest  in  manual  labor,  and  of  familiarizing  them 
with  the  use  of  tools  and  machinery.  Now,  if  such 
a  young  man  enters  one  of  our  large  factories,  it  re- 
quires at  least  five  years  before  he  can  say  that  he 
understands  his  business.  But,  as  you  know,  the 
understanding  of  a  trade  does  not  imply  perfection 
therein.  Hence,  five  additional  years  are  requisite, 
and  perhaps  even  more,  according  to  the  capacity 
of  an  individual,  before  some  degree  of  perfection 
is  acquired.  Thus  the  young  man  would  be  at  least 
thirty  years  of  age  before  his  comrades  could  per- 
ceive that  he  was  really  fit  for  promotion. 

"  Then,  again,  in  a  factory  employing  from  five  to 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  229 

ten  thousand  people  there  would  doubtless  be  many 
just  as  competent  as  he,  and  of  these  certainly  not 
a  few  who  had  been  employed  in  the  same  occupation 
for  a  longer  time.  And  it  is  a  matter  of  policy  with 
us  to  advance  older  people  first.  Our  young  man 
may,  therefore,  account  himself  lucky  if  at  the  age 
of  thirty-five  years  he  is  chosen  foreman.  Assum- 
ing circumstances  the  most  favorable,  he  would  at 
thirty-six  years  of  age  become  chief  foreman;  at 
thirty-seven  inspector;  at  thirty-eight  director;  at 
thirty-nine  director-general;  at  forty  mayor;  at  forty- 
one  governor;  at  forty-two  governor-general;  and, 
finally,  at  forty-three  years  of  age  he  would  become 
President  of  the  United  States  of  North  America. 
And,  as  I  said,  I  am  assuming  a  most  favorable  case. 
"  Now  let  us  see  how  old  a  president  would  be  if 
he  had  been  a  teacher.  On  leaving  school  at  the  age 
of  twenty  years,  a  graduate  is  by  no  means  prepared 
to  teach.  By  day  our  would-be  teacher  performs 
four  hours  of  manual  labor.  In  the  evening  he  at- 
tends the  special  teachers'  course  at  one  of  our  uni- 
versities. If  he  be  fortunate,  he  may,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years,  pass  the  teachers'  examination. 
Of  course,  he  must  wait  until  he  is  needed.  He  may 
be  thirty  before  he  receives  an  appointment  as  teacher 
in  the  public  schools.  Should  he  wish  to  advance 
higher,  he  must  pursue  his  study  and  take  the  pro- 
fessors' course,  and,  if  successful,  he  may,  at  thirty- 
five  years  of  age,  become  a  university  professor.     At 


230  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

the  university  he  must  have  extreme  good  fortune  to 
be  chosen  president  of  the  department  for  males,  at 
the  age  of  forty-five  years.  I  was  fifty-nine  when  I  be- 
came president.  Preference  is  always  given  to  the 
older  and  more  experienced.  But  let  us  assume  that 
our  candidate  has  the  good  fortune  to  become  presi- 
dent-general of  our  educational  institutions  at  the 
age  of  forty-six  years.  At  forty-seven  he  might  be- 
come mayor;  at  forty-eight  governor;  at  forty-nine 
governor-general;  and  at  fifty  president  of  the  Union. 
In  reality,  however,  most  presidents  are  nearer  sixty. 
The  same  rule  holds  among  women. 

"  Our  presidents,  male  and  female,  are  the  repre- 
sentatives of  all  the  inhabitants  of  our  States  and  not 
merely  of  a  certain  vocation  or  of  a  certain  class,  and 
they  may,  therefore,  be  chosen  from  any  and  every 
station.  Still  we  are  not  indifferent  to  what  man- 
ner of  people  are  our  highest  executives.  On  the 
contrary,  the  governors  and  governesses-general, 
being  thoroughly  acquainted  with  one  another,  are 
at  least  as  careful  in  the  choice  of  presidents  as  twenty 
laborers  are  in  choosing  their  foreman. 

"  It  is  not  necessary  that  our  highest  executives 
possess  a  thorough  training  in  any  special  branch  of 
knowledge,  for  thousands  of  assistants  are  at  their 
disposal,  who  understand  thoroughly  every  branch, 
from  the  most  simple  handicraft  to  the  most  com- 
plicated science.  The  general  education  which  our 
president  must  have  received  at  our  schools,  united 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  231 

with  the  experience  acquired  in  public  life  later  on, 
and  accompanied  by  intellect,  untiring  industry,  and 
the  most  unswerving  love  of  justice,  qualifies  him 
perfectly  for  the  administration  of  our  highest  office. 

"  When  I  described  the  ladder  which  our  officials 
must  climb,  round  after  round,  I  presented  for  your 
consideration  merely  the  skeleton  of  our  bureaucracy. 
The  assistants  of  whom  I  spoke,  the  secretaries  and 
clerical  force,  are,  as  it  were,  the  flesh  that  clothes 
that  skeleton.  They  are  recruited  from  the  ranks  of 
those  that  have  not  been  promoted  in  direct  line. 
B}^  this  I  mean  such  men  and  women  as  have  not  with 
each  successive  year  been  promoted  by  election  to 
the  next  higher  position.  Let  me  explain  more  fully. 
For  instance,  in  a  factory  where  there  are  five  hun- 
dred foremen,  of  whom  but  twenty-five  are  elected 
as  chief  foremen,  four  hundred  and  seventy-five  must, 
at  the  expiration  of  their  foreman  year,  reenter  the 
ranks  of  the  ordinary  workmen.  Of  the  twenty-five 
chief  foremen  we  need  but  five  inspectors,  hence 
twenty  chief  foremen  must  also  reenter  the  ranks  of 
the  ordinary  workmen.  Of  these  five  inspectors  one 
only  can  become  director,  hence  the  remaining  four 
inspectors  also  reenter  the  ranks  when  their  year  of 
service  expires.  The  same  is  true  of  the  directors, 
of  whom  one  only  can  be  advanced  to  the  position  of 
director-general. 

"  I  need  not  say  that  this  reentry  into  the  ranks 
is  not  attended  by  any  sense  of  humiliation  or  degra- 


232  THE   DAY   OF.   PROSPERITY 

dation.  It  is  perfectly  immaterial  to  every  one  of  us 
what  kind  of  work  he  performs.  One  kind  of  work 
is  remunerated  just  as  well  as  another ;  that  is,  we  re- 
ceive food,  drink,  clothing,  shelter,  and  ample  facili- 
ties for  intellectual  improvement.  Furthermore,  I 
beg  you  not  to  forget  that  with  us  all  kinds  of  labor 
are  aHke  honorable,  for  all  of  them  are  necessary  for 
the  welfare  of  the  solidarity.  Every  one  of  us  knows 
that  what  he  performs  for  the  solidarity,  he  performs 
indirectly  for  himself.  You  are  aware  that  every 
one  of  our  laborers  is  an  educated  person.  Of  the 
people  we  meet  in  the  street  or  in  our  hotels,  the 
greater  part  are  employed  in  factories  or  in  agri- 
cultural establishments,  and  the  labor  of  all  is  alike 
honorable. 

"  Let  us  see  what  this  reentry  into  the  ranks  means. 
Take,  for  instance,  myself.  If  I  were  not  sixty  years 
of  age,  I  should  have  to  reenter  the  ranks  of  the  pro- 
fessors in  the  ensuing  year.  The  same  is  true  of 
the  president-general  of  the  educational  institutions 
of  this  city.  If  he  should  not  be  elevated  to  the  rank 
of  city  mayor  in  December  next,  he  must  return,  if 
under  sixty  years  of  age,  into  the  ranks  of  the  pro- 
fessors. This  rule  applies  universally  to  all  men  and 
women,  mayor  and  mayoress  included;  all  must  re- 
turn to  their  former  ranks  in  case  of  non-promotion. 
Thus,  for  instance,  a  mayor  will  reenter  his  factory 
as  a  common  laborer,  if  chosen  from  among  factory 
men.     If  chosen,  however,  from  the  medical  profes- 


A    SCHEME    OF    OOTERNMENT  233 

sion,  or  from  a  profession  in  which  it  was  necessary 
to  pass  an  examination,  he  will  reenter  the  position 
acquired  by  virtue  of  his  successful  examination.  If 
sprung  from  the  authors'  or  artists'  league,  he  will 
reenter  his  former  position  there. 

"  The  case  is  a  little  different  with  women. 
Woman  is  not  compelled  to  work;  her  services  are 
voluntary.  In  general,  if  a  woman  keeps  her  home 
in  order  and  educates  her  children,  she  has  done 
enough.  If  she  wishes  to  do  more,  she  may.  And 
that  our  women  do  wish  to  do  more,  you  will  see 
wherever  you  look.  Everywhere  woman  is  man's 
assistant  from  the  lowest  even  to  the  highest  station. 
The  great  work  of  aboHshing  the  use  of  tobacco  was 
the  achievement  of  womanhood  combined.  But  I 
am  wandering  from  our  theme.  Every  woman  who 
cannot  rise  beyond  our  city  limits — that  is,  beyond 
the  position  of  mayoress — will  simply  return  to  the 
natural  state  of  woman,  the  position  of  wife  and 
mother.  Or,  if  she  was  teacher,  doctor,  author,  or 
artist,  she  may  return  to  her  profession. 

"  Unpromoted  governors  and  governors-general, 
and  the  corresponding  female  officials  are,  immedi- 
ately after  the  expiration  of  their  last  year  of  serv- 
ice, associated  with  the  president  and  the  presidentess 
as  their  highest  assistants,  and  it  is  their  duty  to 
select  other  persons  qualified  to  act  as  assistant  of- 
ficials, in  conjunction  with  whom  they  conduct  the 
most  important  affairs  of  State.     The  persons  thus 


234  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

selected  are  chosen  from  among  our  foremen,  chief 
foremen,  inspectors,  directors,  directors-general,  and 
others,  who  returned  to  their  former  posts  on  account 
of  non-promotion. 

"  Teaching  afifords  another  extensive  field  for  non- 
promoted  officials.  In  our  public  schools  and  at  our 
universities  we  need  instructors  to  teach  our  youth 
the  use  of  tools,  the  rudiments  of  the  various  trades, 
the  manipulation  of  machines,  and  the  various 
branches  of  husbandry.  These  teachers  are  selected 
from  among  foremen,  chief  foremen,  and  other  high 
officials  who  have  failed  of  continued  promotion. 
An  examination  is  necessary  in  all  cases.  You  can 
thus  see  that  those  not  promoted  in  a  direct  line  may 
still  make  themselves  useful  in  various  other  ways. 
And  allow  me  to  state  that  every  human  being  has 
ample  opportunity  for  self-improvement  throughout 
life.  Every  one  who  thinks  he  can  employ  his  knowl- 
edge and  faculties  to  greater  advantage  in  another 
occupation  is  at  liberty  to  study  and  to  be  examined 
in  any  branches  for  which  he  thinks  himself  qualified. 

"  Let  us  now  consider  our  afifairs  of  State,  or,  to 
speak  more  precisely,  the  business  of  our  officials. 
The  most  important  function  of  our  government  is 
to  inspect  and  regulate  production  and  consumption. 
This  appears,  at  first  sight,  more  difficult  than  it  is 
in  reality.  You  are  aware  that  every  city  is  fur- 
nished with  large  storehouses,  in  which  all  that  is 
needed  by  the  inhabitants  is  kept.     The  officers  in 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  235 

charge  of  these  warehouses  know  accurately,  at  the 
expiration  of  each  year,  how  much  of  every  article 
has  been  consumed  in  that  city  during  that  time. 
The  reports  of  all  the  city  storehouses  of  a  State  are 
sent  to  the  State  storehouse  of  that  State.  The  func- 
tiooiaries  of  the  State  storehouse  take  the  sum  total 
of  the  reports  of  all  the  city  storehouses  and  then 
send  their  report  to  the  Board  of  Consumption  in 
Chicago.  Here  the  sum  total  of  the  consumption 
throughout  all  the  States  is  ascertained.  In  this 
manner  the  annual  consumption  throughout  all 
North  America  is  ascertained.  Inasmuch  as  the  re- 
maining five  continents  calculate  their  consumption 
in  the  same  manner,  you  can  see  that  it  is  by  no 
means  a  difBcult  task  to  ascertain  accurately  the  con- 
sumption of  every  article  throughout  the  entire  earth. 
Our  bookkeeping  begins,  so  to  speak,  at  our  very 
homes,  and  our  statistical  labor  is  exceedingly  simpli- 
fied. 

"  Production  is,  of  course,  regulated  by  consump- 
tion. Still  we  always  keep  production  ahead  of  con- 
sumption; that  is,  we  produce  a  little  more  than  we 
really  need.  The  reports  of  annual  production  are 
drawn  up  in  the  same  manner  as  those  on  the  annual 
consumption.  Every  factory  and  every  agricultural 
station  sends  a  report  of  its  annual  production  to  the 
respective  city  board,  which  in  turn  reports  to  the 
State  board,  and  so  on.  Or,  to  speak  more  accu- 
rately, the  State  board  reports  to  the  National  Capi- 


236  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

tal  Board.  For  the  most  necessary  kinds  of  food  we 
have  mammoth  storehouses  throughout  the  entire 
earth,  so  that  a  casual  failure  of  the  crops  in  any  part 
of  the  earth  would  by  no  means  embarrass  us. 

"  Next  to  tabulating  production  and  consumption, 
another  highly  important  business  of  our  government 
is  to  keep  an  attentive  eye  to  the  proper  employment 
of  all  our  labor  power.  From  the  reports  of  our 
systematically  managed  hotels,  factories,  agricul- 
tural stations,  and  so  forth,  our  functionaries  are  en- 
abled at  any  hour  to  tell  what  any  and  every  man 
may  be  working  at;  also,  where  there  is  a  superabun- 
dance of  labor  power,  or  where  labor  power  is  wanted. 
If  it  be  resolved  to  build  a  new  city,  a  country  road, 
a  line  of  railway,  expert  workmen  are  summoned 
from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  and  since  there  is  always 
plenty  of  building  material  in  readiness,  the  work  is 
finished  in  the  shortest  possible  time. 

"  The  fourth  and  last  important  function  of  our 
officials  is  the  conduct  and  supervision  of  education. 
As  I  said  before,  the  most  competent  people  only  are 
employed  in  these  four  branches.  No  one  can  be- 
come an  officer  in  any  of  them  unless  he  be  thor- 
oughly versed  in  his  branch. 

"  Thus  we  have  four  chief  authorities,  each  sub- 
divided into  several  subordinate  departments.  The 
seat  of  these  four  chief  bureaus  is  at  our  national  capi- 
tal, Chicago,  and  from  thence  the  immense  army 
of  subordinate  and  reporting  officials  spreads  like  a 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOl  L'A'.N  J/L'.VT'  237 

gigantic  network  over  the  whole  of  North  America. 
In  order  that  you  may  understand  me  better,  I  will 
explain  these  four  principal  boards  more  in  detail, 
and  will  show  you  also  in  rough  outline  what  else  is 
involved  in  them. 

"  First,  we  have  the  Board  of  Consumption,  sub- 
divided into  two  main  branches — the  domestic  and 
the  foreign  consumption  boards.  The  domestic 
board  of  consumption  ascertains  how  much  of  every 
article  produced  or  found  in  North  America  has  been 
used  either  at  home  or  abroad.  The  foreign  con- 
sumption board  takes  account  of  all  imports  con- 
sumed here. 

"  Second,  we  have  the  Board  of  Production,  which 
ascertains  on  the  basis  of  the  reports  of  the  Con- 
sumption Board,  first,  the  quantity  of  domestic  prod- 
ucts that  will  be  consumed  at  home  and  abroad  in 
the  course  of  the  ensuing  year;  and,  second,  the 
quantity  of  foreign  products  that  will  be  used  here 
in  the  course  of  the  following  year.  It  is  also  in- 
cumbent upon  this  board  to  fill  all  orders  in  due  time. 
Thus  you  see  the  Consumption  Board  keeps  a  rec- 
ord of  the  past,  while  the  Production  Board  provides 
for  the  present  and  the  future. 

"  Our  third  important  board  is  the  Board  of  Labor. 
This  considers  the  reports  and  orders  of  the  Pro- 
duction Board,  and  attends  to  the  production  of  all 
the  necessary  articles  and  the  performance  of  all  other 
work   demanded      It   also   examines   and   maintains 


238  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

the  standard  of  quality  of  all  our  productions.  This 
body  also  exercises  control  over  agriculture,  manu- 
factories, railways,  and  navigation,  and  over  the  mail, 
telegraph,  and  telephone  service.  It  also  examines 
all  new  inventions  and  improvements,  and  has  the 
power  to  approve  or  reject  them.  Finally,  the  La- 
bor Board  sees  to  it  that  every  hand  worker  is  em- 
ployed only  in  that  work  for  which  he  is  suited. 

"  As  our  fourth  principal  board  we  have  the  Board 
of  Education.  Its  sphere  of  activity  is  rather  ex- 
tensive. It  cares  for  the  education,  development, 
and  welfare  of  every  individual  from  the  cradle  to 
the  grave,  inasmuch  as  it  superintends  all  schools  and 
all  examinations  of  brain-workers,  and  provides  suit- 
able instruction  and  amusement  at  our  theatres,  mu- 
seums, and  menageries.  Furthermore,  it  controls 
our  libraries,  printing-  establishments,  and  public 
amusements,  and  our  hospitals;  and,  lastly,  it  attends 
to  the  punishment  of  criminals. 

"  I  have  presented  to  you,  as  it  were,  a  skeleton 
of  our  governmental  scheme.  You  will  find  upon 
close  scrutiny  that  it  is  far  more  simple  and  more 
capable  of  being  put  into  operation,  than  were  the 
many  and  awkward  governmental  machines  of  a  hun- 
dred years  ago.  We  now  actually  have  a  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people,  in 
the  best  sense  of  the  phrase.  All  the  six  continents 
of  earth  are  to-day,  so  to  speak,  but  one  united  whole, 
and  their  six  male  and  six  female  presidents  form  but 


A    SCHEME    OF    GOVERNMENT  239 

one  government.  What  one  part  of  earth  cannot 
produce,  is  furnished  generously  by  another.  Man's 
lot  is  everywhere  the  same.  Individual  worth  is 
measured  only  by  moral  worth,  and  not  by  one's  oc- 
cupation, as  one  form  of  employment  is  as  honorable 
as  another.  The  State  can  provide  in  the  best  man- 
ner for  every  one,  since  every  one  does  his  best  for 
the  State." 


XIV 

THE   LAW   AND   THE   GOSPEL 

The  president  paused,  and  acknowledged  with  a 
bow  and  smile  the  applause  which  greeted  him  at 
this  point.     Then  he  resumed : 

"  Let  me  now  speak  briefly  of  our  legal  system, 
if  such  it  may  be  called. 

"  We  have  no  fixed  laws.  You  are  aware,  no 
doubt,  to  what  results  the  thousands  of  different  laws 
of  the  last  century  led.  Nine-tenths  of  the  people  of 
that  time  were  ignorant  of  nine-tenths  of  these  laws, 
of  which,  if  they  transgressed  but  one,  though  with- 
out knowing  it,  they  were  nevertheless  punishable. 
Now  we  should  regard  such  a  mode  of  procedure 
as  a  crime  committed  in  the  name  of  the  law.  We 
have  one  law  and  only  one,  which  is  at  the  same  time 
the  fundamental  law  of  our  religion.  It  is  this :  *  Do 
right  and  fear  no  one,'  or  '  Do  good  and  eschew  evil.' 

"  You  may  query :  '  What  is  good  and  what  is 
evil  ?  '  Good  is  every  one  of  our  thoughts,  words,  or 
deeds  which  injures  neither  ourselves  nor  any  one  of 
our  fellow-men,  and  evil  is  every  one  of  our  thoughts, 
words,  or  deeds  which  injures  either  ourselves  or  any 
one  of  our  fellow-men.     Here  you  have  our  entire 


THE    LAW    AND    THE    GOSPEL  241 

code  of  laws  and  commentary  thereon,  and  the  whole 
certainly  is  easily  remembered.  Hence,  there  can  be 
no  excuses,  such  as:  *  I  did  not  know.'  Before  doing 
anything,  we  need  only  reflect  for  one  moment: 
'  Shall  I,  by  doing  this,  injure  myself  or  my  neigh- 
bor?' Our  conscience  will  immediately  respond 
'  Yes ! '  or  '  No ! '  Now,  then,  if  any  one  does  not 
reflect  and  commits  a  rash  deed,  he  will  have  to  suffer 
the  consequences. 

"  Just  as  we  have  but  one  law,  so  also  we  have  but 
one  punishment.  This  consists  in  ten  hours'  com- 
pulsory work  each  day  for  a  shorter  or  longer  term. 
We  have  no  capital  punishment.  We  do  not  believe 
that  we  can  undo  a  crime  once  perpetrated,  by  killing 
the  perpetrator.  Whether  capital  punishment  ever 
brought  good  results,  I  will  not  discuss.  Our  time  is 
different.  No  one  will  now  attack,  rob,  or  even  mur- 
der a  man  for  gain.  No  man  will  commit  theft,  for 
it  would  be  senseless.  We  have  no  money,  neither 
specie  nor  currency.  Every  one  who  performs  his 
four  hours'  daily  work  during  nine  months  in  the 
year,  as  we  demand,  receives  all  the  necessaries  of 
life  in  abundance,  and  a  person  unwilling  to  work 
would  have  to  emigrate  to  another  planet,  as  there 
would  be  no  room  for  him  on  this  earth. 

"  Besides,  we  do  not  compel  anybody  to  work;  his 
own  requirements  compel  him  to  do  so.  Only  such 
a  man  as  could  exist  without  food,  clothing,  or  habi- 
tation could  dispense  with  work.  All  the  treasure  of 
16 


243  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

gold,  silver,  diamonds,  and  other  precious  stones  of 
this  world  could  at  this  day  not  keep  a  sluggard  alive. 
He  would  have  to  starve,  as  no  one  would  give  him 
a  mouthful  of  bread  for  all  his  treasures.  Gold,  sil- 
ver, and  diamonds  have  no  value  among  us.  Our 
greatest  valuables  are  the  things  we  need  most. 
Iron,  stone,  and  bread  are  more  valuable  for  us  than 
gold,  diamonds,  and  champagne.  Once  the  value  of 
an  article  was  measured  by  its  rarity,  now  we  value 
things  in  proportion  to  their  utility. 

"  But  let  us  return  to  our  subject.  At  the  pres- 
ent time,  murder  can  only  be  committed  from  mo- 
tives of  passion,  jealousy,  envy,  or  wrath.  In  other 
words,  manslaughter  may  be  committed,  but  only 
in  moments  of  partial  irresponsibility.  The  flesh  is 
weak,  and  we  are  careful  to  bear  that  fact  in  mind. 
All  men  are  not  sinless,  and  no  man  is  an  angel,  nor 
will  men  ever  become  angels.  All  that  we  can  at- 
tain by  our  intellect  coupled  with  firmness  of  will,  is 
to  learn  to  govern  ourselves  in  moments  of  danger 
or  temptation.  Wherever  it  is  possible,  we  remove 
the  opportunity  of  committing  sin.  Formerly  men 
were  driven,  as  it  were,  to  crime,  to  the  end  that  they 
might  be  punished  afterwards.  At  the  present  time, 
we  seek  to  restrain  men  from  crime,  to  the  end  that 
we  may  not  be  constrained  to  punish  them. 

"  But,  God  be  thanked,  capital  crimes  are  not  of 
frequent  occurrence.  Crime  is  of  exceeding  rarity 
at  the  present  time.     Crime  committed  from  avarice 


THE   LAW    AND    THE    GOSPEL  243 

has  disappeared  since  the  abolition  of  money.  Since 
that  time  we  no  longer  have  any  professional  crimi- 
nals on  the  lookout  for  opportunity.  If  to-day  an 
individual  perpetrates  a  heinous  crime,  you  may  rely 
on  it,  that  at  the  moment  of  the  deed  he  was  no 
longer  a  rational  being.  Of  course,  he  is  severely 
punished  nevertheless;  for  atonement  must  needs  be, 
but  such  atonement  as  permits  him  in  time  to  reflect 
and  to  reform.  If  a  person  be  insane,  he  is  removed 
to  an  insane  asylum,  and,  if  possible,  prior  to  com- 
mittal of  mischief. 

"  Allow  me  to  explain  a  few  matters  connected  with 
our  judiciary  system.  In  the  court  house  of  every 
city  there  is  what  we  call  a  verdict  room.  On  the 
wall  of  that  room,  opposite  the  judiciary  tribunal,  is 
a  slab  of  stone  bearing  this  inscription  in  letters  of 
gold: 

"  '  If  you  pronounce  judgment,  judge  not  from 
reason  alone,  but  consult  the  voice  of  your  heart! 
Then,  and  only  then,  will  your  verdict  be  just.' 

"  Every  one  who  has  committed  a  wrong  that  may 
be  punished,  is,  on  apprehension,  brought  into  this 
verdict  room  before  the  four  judges,  two  male 
and  two  female,  and  subjected  to  an  examination. 
Should  the  culprit  immediately  confess  his  deed, 
the  mode  of  procedure  is  very  simple.  Each  of  the 
judges  writes  the  punishment  that  he  or  she  thinks 
is  deserved  upon  a  slip  of  paper  similar  to  our  elec- 
tion ticket.     These  four  slips  of  paper  are  opened. 


244  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

the  four  terms  of  punishment  are  added  together,  and 
the  sum  arrived  at  in  this  manner  is  divided  by  four. 
The  quotient  indicates,  according  to  the  heinousness 
of  the  crime,  the  number  of  days,  weeks,  months,  or 
years  that  are  to  be  spent  by  toihng  ten  hours  per 
diem. 

"  To  explain  still  further,  let  us  assume  the  first 
judge  wrote  three  years;  the  second  two  years;  the 
first  judgess  three  years;  and  the  second  four  years; 
the  sum  total  would  be  twelve  years.  Twelve  di- 
vided by  four  gives  us  three  for  a  quotient.  In  this 
case,  the  malefactor  would  be  condemned  to  toil  ten 
hours  a  day  for  three  years. 

"  If  a  defendant  deny  his  deed  we  must  procure 
witnesses.  We  have  no  professional  defenders,  no 
lawyers.  Passbooks,  neighbors,  friends,  relatives, 
and  fellow-workmen  are  a  man's  best  defence.  If 
the  accused  was  during  his  entire  former  Hfe  an  ex- 
emplary person,  that  fact  is  of  great  weight.  As  a 
rule,  no  sane  person  will  deny  a  wrong  committed. 
Venial  sins  for  the  most  part  merit  merely  a  repri- 
mand. Heinous  crimes  are  of  extremely  infrequent 
occurrence. 

"  The  severest  penalty  that  can  be  inflicted  by  our 
judges  consists  in  ten  years  of  penal  work  for  ten 
hours  a  day.  This  penalty  may  be  rendered  mere 
severe  by  prohibition  of  reading  and  writing  during 
hours  of  rest.  Convict  labor  consists  in  dredging 
rivers,  mining,  and  so  forth,  all  under  strict  super- 


THE    LAW    AND    THE    GOSPEL  345 

vision.  Our  convicts  are  compelled  to  wear  suits 
striped  yellow  and  black.  The  possibility  of  escap- 
ing is  hardly  to  be  feared.  You  must  bear  in  mind, 
that  we  all  live  in  great  and  excellently  managed  ho- 
tels, and  it  is  impossible  to  hold  one's  self  in  conceal- 
ment for  even  a  short  time  in  any  one  of  them.  Our 
records,  our  passbooks,  and  our  photo-telegraphy 
contribute  to  the  impossibility  of  concealment.  If 
a  culprit  is  sought,  his  exact  image  will  be  found 
within  two  or  three  days,  not  only  in  all  our  news- 
papers, but  on  the  blackboards  of  all  factories,  ho- 
tels, railway  and  street  cars.  You  remember  that 
every  adult  receives  the  daily  newspapers  regularly, 
and  it  is  his  duty  and  his  right  to  act  as  a  police  of- 
ficer in  case  a  malefactor  is  to  be  apprehended, 

"  Of  the  four  judges  of  whom  I  spoke,  the  mayor 
nominates  the  two  men,  and  the  mayoress  the  two 
women  from  among  our  representatives  on  their  re- 
tiring from  ofifice.  As  judges  they  serve  for  one  year. 
They  need  not  be  endowed  with  special  mental  facul- 
ties, nor  is  it  necessary  that  they  have  studied  at  spe- 
cial schools.  But  we  presume  them  to  be  endowed 
with  common  sense,  inasmuch  as  they  have  been  ad- 
vanced by  their  own  comrades  from  the  station  of 
plain  workmen  to  serve  as  representatives  of  certain 
callings  or  of  certain  corporations  of  their  city. 

"  There  are  certain  kinds  of  labor,  of  course,  from 
which  a  man  would  willingly  be  exempt — such  labor 
as  is  dangerous,  highly  fatiguing,  or  disagreeable. 


246  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

Our  method  of  procedure  in  such  cases  is  simple. 
Every  young  man  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  years 
of  age  may  be  called  upon  twice,  to  serve  each  time 
for  half  a  year,  wherever  there  is  a  dearth  of  workers. 
If  hands  are  needed,  the  mayor  confers  with  the 
representatives  of  the  individual  callings  and  corpo- 
rations. These  then  send  orders  to  the  chiefs  of  those 
callings  and  corporations,  and  it  is  incumbent  upon 
these  chiefs,  to  select  from  among  the  employees  as 
many  young  men  as  are  required,  and  to  send  them 
where  they  are  needed. 

"  Work  goes  on  in  our  factories  without  intermis- 
sion for  twelve  hours  daily,  from  seven  a.m.  to  seven 
P.M.  Our  workmen  are  divided  into  three  squads, 
which  alternate  weekly.  In  agriculture  and  other 
callings,  in  which  the  length  of  time  for  working  can- 
not always  be  predetermined,  we  work  as  long  as  it  is 
necessary.  In  agricultural  establishments  we  some- 
times work  night  and  day.  Of  course,  here,  too,  each 
squad  works  only  four  hours.  In  railway  or  naviga- 
tion service  we  take  the  sum  total  of  the  hours  each 
individual  has  worked  during  the  voyage  or  journey, 
and  credit  the  worker  with  so  many  days'  labor  at 
four  hours  a  day. 

"  Positions  in  our  railway  and  navigation  systems 
are  filled  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  in  factories 
and  agricultural  establishments.  Those  who  would 
enter  railway  service  must  first  learn  to  oil  and  polish 
a  steam  engine,  and  to  keep  the  cars  clean — a  rather 


THE    LAW    AND    THE    GOSPEL  247 

tedious  job.  After  spending  about  two  years  in  this 
kind  of  work,  railway  employees  must  learn  to  handle 
freight,  which  requires  another  year.  This  art  being 
acquired,  an  employee  may  be  advanced  as  assistant 
engineer  on  a  freight  train,  where  he  must  thoroughly 
learn  how  to  govern  an  engine.  Should  he  wish  to 
advance  still  higher,  he  must  pass  an  examination 
in  the  knowledge  acquired,  after  which  he  may  be 
intrusted  with  the  running  of  a  freight  train.  Later 
he  may  become  assistant  engineer  on  a  passenger 
train,  and,  after  a  year,  chief  engineer.  From  that 
point  many  years  must  elapse  before  he  can  become 
a  conductor.  The  same  gradation  obtains  in  navi- 
gation. From  the  menial  labor  of  a  sailor  to  the 
rank  of  a  captain  there  is  a  long  road,  which  many  do 
not  accomplish. 

"  Nor  is  it  an  easy  matter  to  work  one's  way  up- 
ward in  other  professions.  Although  positions  of 
responsibility  afford  no  emolument  save  honor,  yet 
nine-tenths  of  our  contemporaries  are  laboring  in- 
defatigably  to  satisfy  their  ambition.  Take,  for  in- 
stance, our  editors.  Of  these,  if  they  be  working 
for  a  newspaper,  we  demand  only  that  they  be  able 
to  present  the  news  which  pours  in  from  all  parts  of 
the  world,  briefly  and  agreeably.  They  are  not  asked 
their  own  opinions;  our  newspapers  are  devoid  of 
editorials.  Would-be  editors  enter  our  city  print- 
ing-office as  apprentices  on  completion  of  their  uni- 
versity curriculum.     Here  they  must  work  their  way 


248  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

upward  through  all  grades,  beginning  as  compos- 
itors. Those  who  take  up  the  medical  profession 
must  rise  in  a  similar  manner.  They  enter  our  hos- 
pitals as  apprentices,  so  to  speak.  In  the  evening 
they  attend  the  medical  lectures  at  the  university. 
Before  being  admitted  into  the  medical  profession, 
they  must  pass  a  rigid  examination.  Actors  and 
actresses,  singers,  dancers,  all  must  study  for  an  ex- 
tended period  of  time  ere,  by  virtue  of  their  extraor- 
dinary talent,  they  are  allowed  to  represent  their  pro- 
fessions before  the  world. 

"  We  do  not  exact  menial  service  from  accom- 
plished physicians,  artists,  and  the  like.  Their  time 
is  too  precious  to  be  expended  in  work  that  anybody 
may  perform.  At  all  these  institutions  there  are 
enough  students  of  both  sexes  to  keep  the  buildings 
clean,  just  as  scholars  are  required  to  keep  in  order 
their  schools,  women  our  hotels,  and  workmen  their 
factories.  And  while,  as  a  rule,  all  women  perform 
their  own  housework,  yet  from  mayoress  upward  to 
presidentess,  each  woman  receives  two  young  women 
assistants,  who  regard  it  an  honor  to  be  selected  to 
perform  the  housework  for  such  eminent  persons. 
The  service  of  these  young  women  is  a  voluntary 
one,  and  the  supply  is  always  in  excess  of  need. 

"  Our  highest  woman  representatives  dwell  in  the 
hotels  like  other  women.  If  a  governess-general  is 
elected  presidentess,  she  will,  acompanied  by  her  hus- 
band and  children,  proceed  to  Chicago,  where  she  will 


THE   LAW   AND    THE   GOSPEL  249 

establish  herself  in  a  hotel  in  the  vicinity  of  the  na- 
tional capital,  in  an  apartment  composed  of  ante- 
room, parlor,  dormitory,  childrens'  room,  with  seven 
windows  and  balcony,  just  like  every  other  la- 
borer. When  her  year  of  honorary  service  is  over 
she  returns  to  her  former  home. 

"  At  nine  in  the  morning  the  offices  at  our  national 
capitol  are  thrown  open,  and  at  that  hour  all  execu- 
tives are  at  their  posts.  Current  business  is  disposed 
of  in  regular  order,  and  at  the  expiration  of  four 
hours — that  is,  at  one  o'clock — the  offices  are  closed, 
and  each  retires  to  his  home  as  quietly  as  he  came. 
The  book-keepers  and  secretaries,  however,  work 
until  nine  in  the  evening.  Of  course  each  squad  is 
relieved  at  the  expiration  of  four  hours.  For  the  use 
of  our  executives  we  provide  electric  carriages  of  un- 
usual elegance,  employed,  however,  only  in  case  of 
necessity  or  on  festal  or  state  occasions. 

"  Let  us  pass  at  this  point  to  the  concluding  sub- 
ject of  my  address — a  subject  on  which  I  have  not 
time  to  speak  as  I  should  like — the  vital  and  funda- 
mental subject  of  our  religious  faith. 

"  With  one  universal  language,  one  universal  law, 
and  one  form  of  government,  it  is  manifest  there  can 
be  now  only  one  form  of  religion.  What  that  re- 
ligion is,  is  a  question  not  to  be  answered  offhand; 
but  yet  I  will  endeavor  to  explain  the  substance  of  our 
faith,  religion,  and  mode  of  worship, 

"  In  the  field  of  religion  a  vast  change  has  taken 


250  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

place  during  the  last  century.  Our  system  of  moral 
philosophy,  which  now  prevails  everywhere,  has  ban- 
ished forever  many  a  phantom  and  superstition  of 
former  times.  The  divine  light  of  reason  has  rein- 
stated man  within  the  sphere  of  reality,  from  the 
realm  of  dreams.  Men  no  longer  grope  in  the  dark 
in  regard  to  their  rights  and  duties.  They  have 
learned  to  love  good  and  to  eschew  evil.  By  means 
of  a  rational  education  and  by  the  benefit  of  our 
liberal  institutions,  sin  is  almost  wholly  banished. 
Virtue,  contentment,  and  happiness  are  come  to  dwell 
with  us  forever  on  this  beautiful  earth.  Hence,  you 
see,  our  moral  philosophy  goes  hand  in  hand  with 
true  religion.  The  object  of  religion  is  to  diffuse 
virtue,  justice,  universal  liberty,  and  happiness;  or,  in 
other  words,  to  make  all  men  good,  just,  free,  and 
happy. 

"  Now,  assuming  this  to  be  the  object  of  religion, 
you  may  ask:  Are  we  truly  religious;  do  we  earnestly 
strive  to  make  men  good,  contented,  and  happy?  I 
will  not  express  my  own  opinion  on  this  subject.  Our 
learned  men  aver  that  our  Christian  institutions,  ex- 
tending over  all  the  earth,  hold  men  together  as  a 
great  brotherhood,  and  that  our  century  is  stamped 
as  the  most  religious  since  the  creation  of  man.  If 
you  desire  confirmation  of  this  veiw,  use  your  own 
eyes.  Look  about  you  and  observe  whether  we 
really  live  contented  and  happy,  and  whether  true 
religion   abides   in   our   hearts.      If  you   are   asked 


TEE   LAW   AND    THE    GOSPEL  251 

where  are  our  churches  and  our  priests,  you  may  re- 
ply that  God  is  present  everywhere  and  at  ah  times, 
and  that  there  is  no  need  of  dark  and  gloomy  houses 
of  stone  built  by  men's  hands  in  which  to  be  reminded 
of  Him.  Is  not  the  whole  world  in  its  unsurpassable 
splendor  God's  temple?  When  we  go  forth  under 
the  open  sky  and  listen  to  nature's  teachings,  should 
we  not  also  think  of  nature's  God?  In  whatsoever 
corner  of  this  magnificent  temple  we  maye  be,  He 
heareth  us,  He  giveth  ear  unto  our  prayers. 

"  Nor  do  we  believe  that  there  is  need  of  middle- 
men between  ourselves  and  the  Deity.  From  our 
youth  up,  God's  laws  are  deeply  engraven  on  our 
hearts  'by  our  instructors.  These  divine  laws  are 
so  simple  that  there  is  no  need  of  further  interpre- 
tation. He  that  walketh  in  righteousness  fulfilleth 
the  law.  Our  entire  life,  from  the  cradle  to  the 
grave,  is  one  continuous  worship.  All  our  institu- 
tions contain  that  most  precious  pearl  of  Christianity, 
the  maxim,  '  Love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.'  This 
divine  precept  we  express  when  we  say,  '  Each  for  all, 
all  for  each.' 

"  There  have  been  men,  even  centuries  ago,  whose 
ideal  was  a  free  and  unrestrained  worship  poured 
forth  from  a  grateful  heart,  but  for  fear  of  heresy 
their  noble  rage  was  checked,  and  the  genial  current 
of  their  souls  was  frozen.  In  their  day  the  universal 
brotherhood  of  man  was  regarded  as  a  beautiful 
dream,  never  to  be  fulfilled.     To  gain  the  esteem  of 


253  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

one's  fellow-men,  it  was  not  sufficient  to  walk  upright 
in  the  ways  of  God — no,  men  had  to  stoop  and  walk 
in  the  mire  of  the  common  throng.  He  that  knew 
best  how  to  act  the  part  of  a  hypocrite  was  often  pro- 
moted to  the  highest  honor.  The  ways  of  God  were 
only  in  few  instances  the  ways  of  man. 

"  Government  and  religion,  in  former  times,  were 
diametrically  opposed,  and  between  them  stood  a 
helpless  people,  unable  to  decide  for  themselves 
whither  to  turn.  How  vastly  different  now,  in  this 
new  and  fairer  world !  Government,  religion,  people, 
all  three  firmly  and  inseparably  welded  together, 
and  as  a  result  of  their  union  the  brotherhood  and 
emancipation  of  all  mankind  !  " 

The  address  was  terminated,  and  amid  a  brief  in- 
terval of  silence  President  Donnelly  retired  to  his 
seat.  Then  ensued  a  long  and  hearty  outburst  of 
applause,  the  token,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  not  only  of 
the  hearers'  sympathy  with  the  remarks,  but  also 
of  the  affectionate  esteem  in  which  they  held  the 
speaker. 

Other  addresses  followed,  more  nearly  related  to 
school  work  than  that  which  had  been  given;  a  part- 
ing hymn  was  sung,  in  which  all  those  present  joined, 
and  the  exercises  were  terminated.  The  crowd  be- 
gan to  depart  from  the  hall,  but  I  waited  and  joined 
the  numerous  party  who  moved  forward  to  congrat- 
ulate the  president.  He  saw  me  after  a  moment, 
came  toward  me,  and  grasped  my  hand. 


THE    LAW    AND    THE    GOtiPEL  253 

"  I  am  glad  you  came,"  he  said.  "  I  wanted  to  see 
you  and  tell  you  about  the  bundle  of  papers  I  have 
had  sent  to  your  room." 

"  A  bundle  of  papers?  " 

"  Yes,  the  belongings  of  old  Dr.  Rudini.  You  re- 
member I  told  you  they  were  in  our  possession." 

"  I  remember  vaguely." 

"  Well,  they  have  been  carefully  preserved  ever 
since  they  were  taken  from  Dr.  Rudini's  study  after 
his  disappearance  and  the  beginning  of  your  long 
sleep.  They  consist  of  miscellaneous  papers,  and  the 
old  Doctor's  pocket  memorandum  book.  Appar- 
ently they  are  of  no  great  importance,  yet  as  your 
own  name  occurs  there  I  thought  you  might  like  to 
look  them  over.  Perhaps  you  will  be  able  to  dis- 
cover something  we  have  overlooked." 

"  I  cursed  the  Doctor  for  his  trick  at  first,"  I  re- 
plied, "  but  I  thank  him  now.  I  shall  be  glad  to 
look  at  the  papers,  if  only  for  curiosity." 

"  Good-by,  then,  and  don't  forget  to  be  at  our 
apartment  before  four  this  afternoon.  The  flower 
procession  starts  at  that  hour." 

In  a  reflective  mood  I  left  the  university  and  passed 
out  upon  the  street.  The  sun  was  shining  hot,  and 
the  outside  air  was  heavy  and  oppressive.  Dark 
masses  of  cloud  low  down  in  the  west  hinted  at  the 
approach  of  a  thunder  storm.  Yet  in  spite  of  the 
threatening  aspect  of  the  sky  I  did  not  take  the  direct 
road  to  my  room,  but,  turning,  followed  the  more 


.254  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

circuitous  route  that  led  past  the  hotel  in  which  dwell 
Miss  Pauline  Donnelly. 

Naturally  I  had  no  great  expectation  of  meeting 
that  young  lady.  Indeed,  I  hardly  think  I  should 
have  chosen  to  meet  her  had  the  choice  been  offered. 
But  a  something  stronger  than  my  judgment  led  me 
in  that  direction,  and  I  looked  up  at  the  great  struc- 
ture which  I  was  approaching,  and  scrutinized  its 
windows,  as  if  instinct  would  tell  me  behind  which 
one  of  them  she  might  at  that  moment  be. 

I  had  almost  reached  the  main  entrance,  within 
which  ebbed  and  flowed  the  streams  of  its  inhabitants 
or  its  casual  visitors,  going  or  returning.  Women 
passed  me  at  every  instant,  some  elderly,  but  mostly 
young.  As  I  looked,  from  out  the  wide  doors  there 
issued  suddenly  one  youthful  figure,  whose  graceful, 
quick  freedom  of  movement  identified  it  before  I 
needed  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  face.  It  was  Miss 
Donnelly. 

My  own  heart  beat  vigorously.  I  was  almost 
tempted  to  turn  back,  realizing  the  indiscretion  of 
appearing  to  seek  her  at  such  a  time.  But  I  would 
not  do  so.  At  all  events,  I  was  too  late,  for  she  had 
seen  me. 

I  saw  the  color  fly  crimson  to  her  face,  and  then 
vanish,  leaving  her  pale,  save  where  her  eyes  bore  the 
evidence  of  tears.  Her  lips  had  lost  their  brilliancy, 
her  mouth  had  no  longer  its  expression  of  mocking 
confidence.     Having  cast  down  her  eyes  the  instant 


THE    LAW    AND    TUE    GOSPEL  255 

she  saw  me,  she  did  not  raise  them  until  we  were  quite 
opposite  each  other.  Then  a  momentary  glance, 
cold,  reserved,  and — as  it  seemed  to  me — full  of  re- 
proach at  my  own  inopportune  presence,  and  she  was 
gone.  I  could  only  raise  my  hat  and  pass  on,  full  of 
conflicting  thoughts  and  feelings. 

But  whom  had  I  to  reproach  except  myself  for  the 
sentiment  which  made  Miss  Donnelly's  slightest  act 
of  such  paramount  importance  to  me?  It  was  not 
strange  that  I  loved  her — and  at  that  moment  I 
looked  into  my  own  heart  and  saw  that  it  was  love 
I  felt.  It  was  not  strange.  But  why  had  I  allowed 
myself  to  love  a  woman  whose  love  was  already  given 
to  a  worthy  man — perhaps  a  worthier  man  than  I? 
And  why  had  I  by  my  own  words  shown  her  the  na- 
ture of  the  sentiment  I  felt,  and  tempted  her  to  betray 
a  momentary,  superficial  liking  for  me,  which  had  al- 
most made  her  the  innocent  instrument  of  that  other 
man's  death? 

No,  I  would  act  an  honorable  part !  I  would  see 
her  no  more  except  as  accident  might  direct,  and  on 
those  rare  occasions  I  would  show  myself  serious  and 
unpresuming,  recognizing  the  choice  she  had  made. 
She  loved  this  man;  she  repented  any  casual  behavior 
which  her  spirits  and  natural  vivacity  might  have  led 
her  into.  She  should  see  in  me  not  a  tempter,  not 
a  menace  to  her  peace,  but  a  respectful  friend. 


XV 


THE    GREEN    PHIAL 


As  I  entered  my  room  my  eye  fell  upon  a  bundle 
which  lay  on  the  table — doubtless  the  papers  of  old 
Dr.  Rudini,  of  which  President  Donnelly  had  spoken, 
I  pulled  the  table  to  the  window,  seated  myself,  undid 
the  string  which  held  the  package,  and  spread  out 
before  me  these  dusty  and  time-worn  reminders  of  a 
distant  past. 

They  seemed  to  be,  as  the  president  had  said,  of  no 
great  importance — loose  papers,  some  covered  with 
mathematical  computations,  the  meaning  of  which 
I  did  not  understand,  some  bearing  philosophical  pre- 
cepts or  propositions,  perhaps  designed  to  be  the 
basis  for  argument  or  essay — all  soiled,  the  ink  faded, 
the  pencils  marks  nearly  obliterated.  They  seemed  to 
me  to  have  been  the  random  papers  found  scattered 
over  the  old  Doctor's  desk.  I  put  them  aside,  took 
up  the  black  memorandum  book,  and  turned  its 
leaves. 

Here,  too,  were  mathematical  computations  and 
philosophical  remarks,  notes  jotted  down  in  haste  for 
future  reference,  the  handwriting  fine  but  erratic, 
nervously  irregular,  with  many  breaks  and  dashes. 


THE    GREEN    PHIAL  267 

So  throughout  the  whole  worn,  soiled  book,  nothing 
definite,  merely  fragments,  as  it  were,  of  fantastic 
thought,  fitting  tokens  of  the  disordered  mind  of  the 
thinker.  But  stop !  I  had  reached  the  last  leaf,  and 
there  I  caught  sight  of  my  own  name  in  the  midst  of 
a  half  page  of  faded  scrawl,  more  erratic,  more  nerv- 
ously irregular  than  all  the  rest. 

I  ran  it  over  hastily,  made  nothing  of  it,  went  back 
and  read  again.     Here  is  what  I  saw : 

"  Sleep  well,  doubter !  Sleep  well,  scofifer  at  the 
truth !  As  a  disbeliever  you  sink  into  your  slumber 
of  a  century;  you  shall  waken  my  disciple.  Death 
shall  be  made  infinitely  remote,  and  the  names  of 
Paul  Rudini  and  Albert  Burnham,  teacher  and  pupil, 
master  and  disciple,  shall  be  on  all  men's  tongues  as 
prophets  of  eternal  youth.  I  say  not  farewell. 
Await  me,  for  I  shall  be  near  you.  Centuries  shall 
be  as  days  to  us,  and  at  the  dawn  of  each  new  era  you 
shall  hear  the  voice  and  see  the  face  of  Paul  Rudini." 

What  was  all  this  nonsense?  A  promise  appar- 
ently, or  a  threat,  whichever  one  chose  to  call  it,  that 
on  my  awakening  from  my  hundred  years'  sleep  I 
should  find  him,  too,  alive.  But  this  was  too  incred- 
ible, even  in  view  of  my  own  seemingly  impossible 
experience.  No,  the  old  Doctor's  worn-out,  decrepit 
body  must  long  since  have  returned  to  dust.  And  so 
this  was  what  he  was  hurriedly  writing  at  the  moment 
when  my  senses  failed  and  I  sank  into  unconscious- 
ness after  tossing  off  my  glass  of  drugged  wine ! 
17 


258  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

Slowly  I  tied  up  again  the  package  of  stained  and 
crumbling  papers,  and,  sinking  back  in  my  chair,  fell 
into  a  revery  which  lasted  I  hardly  knew  how  long. 
I  was  roused  by  the  sound  of  many  voices  in  the  street 
below.  Rising,  I  stood  at  the  window  and  looked 
out. 

The  street,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  was  almost  filled 
with  men  and  women.  All  of  them  were  decked  with 
flowers,  and  many  carried  baskets  overflowing  with 
roses  and  cut  flowers  of  all  kinds.  As  I  looked  far- 
ther up  the  street  I  saw  that,  in  every  hotel,  windows, 
roofs,  and  balconies  were  also  flower-decked,  and  the 
whole  avenue  seemed  one  great  conservatory. 

It  must  be  almost  time  for  the  flower  procession. 
I  gave  a  few  hasty  touches  to  my  toilet,  and  hurried 
out,  threaded  my  way  through  the  slowly  moving 
crowd,  and  in  a  few  moments  was  traversing  the  cor- 
ridor of  the  great  hotel,  seeking  the  apartment  of 
President  Donnelly. 

The  door  of  the  apartment  stood  open,  and  from 
within  I  heard  the  sound  of  voices  and  laughter,  I 
entered  at  once.  The  atmosphere  was  heavy  with 
the  scent  of  flowers,  four  great  baskets  of  which  stood 
near  the  window,  and  through  the  long  open  case- 
ment I  could  perceive  that  the  persons  whose  voices 
I  heard  were  seated  in  the  balcony  outside.  I  stepped 
out. 

The  wide  balcony  had  been  transformed  into  a  sort 
of  bower  by  rows  of  palms  and  firs  placed  here  and 


THE   GREEN    PHIAL  259 

there,  so  that  one  could  either  sit  back  screened  from 
sight  of  the  passers,  or  could  step  out  and  observe  the 
street  below.  On  a  table  placed  between  two  potted 
firs  there  lay  more  flowers.  Three  persons  were 
sitting  in  the  balcony,  almost  concealed  from  my  view 
by  the  green  trees.  One  was  President  Donnelly — 
I  recognized  his  voice.  The  second  was  Mrs.  Don- 
nelly, of  course.  I  advanced,  and,  with  a  shock  of 
mingled  joy  and  dread,  recognized  the  third.  Miss 
Pauline  Donnelly. 

The  president  seemed  just  to  have  made  some  hu- 
morous remark,  for  as  I  appeared  the  girl's  laughter 
burst  out,  clear,  rippling,  and  free  from  any  note  of 
care.  With  unconstrained  freedom  she  rose  and 
gave  me  her  hand.  Her  eyes  shone  darker  and 
deeper  than  I  had  ever  before  seen  tliem,  and  bore 
scarcely  a  trace  of  the  tears  I  knew  they  must  have 
shed.  Her  cheeks  were  slightly  flushed,  and  her 
nervous,  crimson  lips  wore  again  that  arch  and 
piquant  smile  which  I  knew  so  well.  My  presence 
of  mind  almost  failed  me  as  I  bowed  and  stammered 
a  phrase  of  conventional  politeness,  and  it  was  with 
a  sense  of  relief  that  I  turned  to  listen  to  a  question 
from  Mrs.  Donnelly. 

"  I  suppose  you  understand  what  the  procession  is 
to  be,  Mr.  Burnham?" 

"  I  confess  I  have  a  very  vague  idea.  It  is  a  parade 
of  the  school  children,  is  it  not?  " 

"  Of   this  year's   graduates.      You   will   see   how 


260  THE   BAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

pretty  the  girls  look,  all  dressed  in  white.  The 
young  men  and  the  instructors  are  in  black.  The 
electric  carriages  in  which  they  ride  have  had  the 
tops  taken  off  and  are  festooned  with  flowers,  and  we 
pelt  the  young  people  with  flowers  from  our  balconies 
and  roofs.  The  street  is  literally  carpeted  with 
flowers  when  they  have  passed." 

"  It  is  too  bad,  Uncle  Charles,  that  you  can't  wait 
here  with  us  and  see  it,"  observed  Miss  Donnelly. 

"  Too  bad,  perhaps,"  he  answered,  "  but  I  am  part 
of  the  procession.  However,  I  will  come  back  here, 
if  you  will  wait." 

"  I  shall  wait,"  replied  his  niece.  "  I  can't  speak 
for  Mr.  Burnham." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  wait,"  I  said.  "  Mrs.  Donnelly 
will  perhaps  explain  the  features  of  the  procession, 
and  I  will  help  her  bombard  the  carriages." 

"  Oh,  but  she  won't  be  here,"  Miss  Donnelly  ob- 
served. "  Aunt  Harriet  has  to  be  a  dozen  blocks 
away,  where  the  procession  stops.  Are  you  afraid  to 
stay  with  me  ?  " 

"  It  will  take  all  my  courage,"  I  replied,  "  but  I  will 
try." 

The  president  laughed,  and  looked  at  me  as  if  some 
remark  was  trembling  on  his  lips,  but  he  repressed  it, 
and  rose. 

"  Come,  Harriet,"  he  said.  "  It  is  time  we  were 
gone.     We  will  leave  the  young  people." 

Taking  each  a  basket  of  flowers  from  the  inner 


THE    GREEN    PHIAL  261 

room,  they  departed,  I  heard  their  footsteps  grow- 
ing fainter  on  the  marble  pavement  of  the  corridor, 
until  they  were  no  longer  audible,  and  we  were  alone. 
I  looked  up  at  Miss  Donnelly.  Her  face  was  turned 
from  me,  and  she  was  gazing  far  ofif  into  the  distance. 

"  How  good  it  is  to  be  sitting  out  here  this  warm, 
lovely  afternoon !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  And  the  flowers 
everywhere — I  am  so  fond  of  them !  It  is  a  pity  that 
flowers  die  when  once  they're  cut.  If  they  would 
only  last  forever!  But  they  are  so  transitory  and  so 
fragile !  " 

"  Like  many  another  thing,"  I  said. 

She  turned  and  looked  toward  me  inquiringly. 

"  Like  what?  "  she  asked, 

"  Like  the  love  one  sometimes  feels — or  perhaps 
I  would  better  say  like  the  love  that  is  sometimes  felt 
for  one." 

"  Let  every  man  speak  for  himself,"  she  replied, 
gazing  down  in  her  lap.  "  I  only  meant  that  it  seems 
a  pity  the  flowers  must  wither  and  die  for  the  sake  of 
giving  out  a  day's  loveliness  and  fragrance." 

"  But  when  the  flower  has  withered,  you  cast  it 
aside,  don't  you,  without  a  further  thought?  " 

"  No,  not  without  a  further  thought.  It  always 
seems  to  me  that  I  must  send  a  bit  of  affection  with  it, 
because,  after  all,  fehe  flower  and  I  have  been  some- 
thing to  each  other,  you  know." 

"  And  you  never  regret  this  lavishness  of  your  af- 
fection ?  " 


262  THE   DAY    OF   PROSPERITY 

"  Dear  me,  how  cynically  you  are  talking,  Mr. 
Burnham!  Don't,  please !  I  want  to  be  happy,  now 
that  I  can." 

"Now  that  you  can?  Do  you  mean,  as  long  as 
you  can  ?  " 

"  Yes,  as  long  as  I  can,  of  course.  But  I  mean 
that  now  I  am  happy — at  least  I  thought  I  was,  until 
you  began  this  very  disagreeable  way  of  talking. 
Now  I  don't  think  I  am  any  more." 

"  My  dear  Miss  Donnelly !  Forgive  me !  You 
know  I  wouldn't  consciously  hurt  you  for  anything 
on  earth." 

"  I  know  you  consciously  tried  to  hurt  me,  and  I 
think  you  succeeded.  But  we  won't  quarrel — not  to- 
day, at  any  rate.  You  know  to-day  you  must  feel 
peace  and  good  will  toward  every  one,  toward  me, 
too.  See,  they  even  give  us  champagne.  You  shall 
take  a  glass  by  and  by,  to  chase  away  your  bad  hu- 
mor." 

With  a  motion  of  her  hand  she  showed  me  some 
glasses  on  the  table,  and  a  wine  cooler  resting  under- 
neath, within  which,  in  its  nest  of  ice,  reposed  a  green 
glass  bottle  of  generous  size. 

"  Listen !  "  she  added,  suddenly.  "  They  are  com- 
ing !    Do  you  hear  the  music?" 

Far  in  the  distance  there  sounded  faint  strains  of 
martial  music.  I  rose  and  went  to  the  edge  of  the 
balcony,  but  nothing  was  visible  in  the  street  but  the 
restless  crowds  of  waiting  spectators. 


THE    OREEN    PHIAL  263 

"  Miss  Donnelly,"  I  said,  as  I  resumed  my  seat, 
"  you  tell  me  I  must  feel  peace  and  good  will  toward 
you.  Good  will  I  do  feel.  But  peace — don't  wish 
me  that.  It  would  be  the  most  humiliating  of  alms 
if  I  were  to  accept  your  advice  of  a  peace  that  I  can 
never  feel." 

She  looked  at  me,  but  did  not  speak. 

"  Peace  must  mean  to  me,  as  far  as  you  are  con- 
cerned, one  of  two  things." 

She  still  looked  wonderingly  at  me.  At  length  she 
said: 

"  And  those  two  things  are  ?  " 

"  Peace  can  come  to  me  only  when  I  am  content 
that  another  man  shall  have  you,  or  when  I  have  you 
myself." 

"Well?" 

"  Well,  you  know  I  am  not  yet  content  that  another 
man  shall  have  you.  God  knows  whether  I  shall  ever 
feel  anything  but  bitterness  at  the  thought.  I  have 
tried,  and  I  have  resolved,  and  you  see  how  weak  my 
resolutions  are." 

"  You  mean  Mr.  Faulkland?  " 

"  I  mean  Mr.  Faulkland." 

"  But — "  she  stammered  and  paused.  "  You  have 
not  said " 

"  I  have  said  I  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  your 
marriage  to  Faulkland." 

"  And  is  that  all  you  mean?  " 

I  looked  up  at  her  flushed,  eager  face,  her  trem- 


264  THE   BAY   OP   PROSPERITY 

bling  lips,  and  almost  smiled  at  my  own  weakness  in 
repeating  the  words  I  had  resolved  never  to  speak. 
But  I  spoke  them,  and  out  of  the  fulness  of  my  heart : 

"  I  mean  that  I  love  you,  and  I  want  you  for  my 
wife." 

Hastily,  almost  breathlessly,  she  drew  a  paper  from 
the  bosom  of  her  dress  and  extended  it  toward  me. 

"  Read  that !  " 

I  looked  at  the  paper. 

"  But  this  is  Faulkland's  writing,"  I  exclaimed,  "  a 
letter  to  you !  " 

"  Yes,  read  it.     He  would  be  willing." 

I  read : 

"  During  the  few  hours  I  have  lain  here,  my  dear 
girl,  and  especially  in  the  little  time  that  has  elapsed 
since  you  came  to  see  me  to-day,  I  have  thought 
much  of  the  relations  between  you  and  me.  And 
as  the  doctor  tells  me  I  am  not  seriously  hurt  and  can 
be  up  and  out  as  .usual  to-morrow,  I  feel  that  my  con- 
clusions represent  my  own  clear  judgment,  and  are 
not  mere  reflections  of  a  despondent  mind.  You  and 
I  do  not  love  each  other.  You  would  never  have 
said  it,  feeling  it  your  duty  to  go  on  in  the  road  we 
mistakenly  chose.  So  I  must  say  it.  But  we  do 
respect  each  other.  We  are  true  friends,  and  we  al- 
ways shall  be.  Tell  Burnham  I  like  him,  and  I  hope 
he  and  I  may  be  friends,  too.     Much  happiness  to 


THE    OREEN   PHIAL  265 

you.     We  all  three  can  meet  now  with  the  best  good 
will,  I  think.     And  believe  me  always, 

"  Yours,  with  sincere  affection, 

"  Ned." 

I  raised  my  head  and  looked  at  her. 

"Is  it  true?"  I  asked. 

She  nodded,  keeping  her  eyes  bent  downward, 
while  her  lips  still  trembled,  and  her  hands  played 
nervously  with  the  folds  of  her  dress. 

In  an  instant  I  was  at  her  side,  my  arms  about  her, 
while  with  a  quick  movement  she  lifted  her  head,  and, 
as  a  roseleaf  falls  upon  the  water,  her  lips  met  mine. 

Below  us,  a  little  way  down  the  street,  the  music 
was  growing  more  distinct.  Holding  me  by  the 
hand,  she  stepped  to  the  front  of  the  balcony,  and  to- 
gether we  overlooked  the  moving  crowds. 

"  Here  they  come !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  See,  the 
two  lines  of  carriages  look  like  two  great  serpents 
winding  down  the  street.  They  have  taken  off  the 
carriage  tops,  and  wound  garlands  all  about  them. 
How  lovely  the  young  girls  are  in  their  white  dresses ! 
And  see  the  flowers  shower  down  from  all  the  bal- 
conies and  roofs.  Hear  them  laugh  as  they  try  to 
catch  the  roses  and  carnations.  What  a  happy, 
happy  day !  See,  I  am  going  to  throw  this  armful 
of  roses  at  them.     Help  me,  Albert." 

"  A  happy  day,  indeed,  my  dear  Pauline,  my  dear 
wife,"  I  said.     "  May  all  future  days  be  as  bright  to  us 


266  THE    DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

as  this  day  of  our  betrothal !  Wait,  we  must  pledge 
each  other  while  the  flowers  shower  down,  while  the 
smiling  girls  in  white  ride  by,  while  the  air  is  ringing 
with  laughter  and  sounds  of  happiness." 

Hastily  I  snatched  up  the  flagon  of  champagne, 
cut  the  cords,  drew  out  the  cork,  and  poured  the 
foaming  liquor  into  two  of  the  glasses. 

An  instant  more,  hand  in  hand,  we  gazed  up  and 
down  the  crowded,  flower-decked  street.  Then,  turn- 
ing, I  took  up  the  glasses  of  champagne  and  put  one 
into  her  hand. 

"  To  our  eternal  happiness !  " 

"  To  our  eternal  happiness !  "  she  repeated. 

We  looked  deep  into  each  other's  eyes,  then  raised 
our  glasses  and  drained  them  to  the  bottom. 

With  a  sigh  I  slowly  put  back  the  glasses  on  the 
table  among  the  scattered  flowers.  Of  a  sudden  I 
staggered  and  grew  faint,  as  though  I  had  been  struck 
a  blow.     What  was  this  I  saw?  ' 

On  the  table,  among  the  flowers,  near  our  glasses 
there  rested  a  litfle  greenish,  cutglass  phial.  Through 
its  sides  I  could  see  its  contents,  a  dark  liquid,  almost 
black,  but  phosphorescent  with  points  of  shifting 
light.  And  as  I  gazed  in  hideous  fascination,  the 
points  drew  together  into  one  wavering,  nebulous 
spot,  which  in  turn  grew  larger  and  more  luminous, 
taking  on  delicate  shades  of  yellow,  green,  and  crim- 
son, until  the  whole  interior  of  the  phial  glowed  with 
a  rosy  opalescence. 


THE    GREEN   PHIAL  267 

What  was  about  to  happen?  Dazed,  and  almost 
bereft  of  speech,  I  put  out  my  hand  and  drew  and 
held  close  to  my  side  the  trembling  woman  whom  my 
strange  appearance  had  alarmed.  Then,  slowly,  I 
looked  from  one  end  of  the  balcony  to  the  other,  un- 
certain what  my  eyes  might  meet. 

There,  just  outside  the  doorway  formed  by  the 
long,  open  window,  stood  the  figure  that  I  dreaded — 
a  little  old  man,  strange  and  shabby,  clothed  in  black, 
with  wrinkled,  parchment-like  face,  and  small,  beady 
eyes  fixed  on  me  in  an  expression  of  malicious  tri- 
umph. 

"  Paul  Rudini !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Is  it  indeed  you, 
and  living?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  quietly.  "  I  am  Paul  Rudini. 
Why  should  you  be  surprised?  I  told  you  to  await 
me." 

"But  why  thrust  your  presence  on  me  now?  I 
want  none  of  you.  See,  I  have  found  my  heaven  on 
earth.  There  lie  the  glasses  from  which  my  afifianced 
wife  and  I  have  drunk  in  pledge  of  our  eternal  hap- 
piness." 

"  It  was  not  she  you  pledged." 

"Not  she?" 

"  No,  it  was  I.  You  just  now  drank  my  health  as 
once  before,  a  century  ago." 

"  Be  careful,  Rudini.  No  tricks,  or  you  shall  suffer 
for  it." 

"  It  is  no  trick.     Look,  there  lies  the  phial  of  my 


268  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

elixir.  You  have  taken  twenty  drops,  exactly  as  a 
hundred  years  ago.  In  five  minutes  you  will  once 
more  fall  into  that  deathlike  sleep  from  which  no  art 
can  wake  you." 

"  And  this  woman  at  my  side — did  she  drink,  too?  " 

"  No,  you  alone.  Why  should  I  make  her  a  part- 
ner in  my  discovery?  " 

The  trembling  girl  gave  a  faint  scream,  her  grip 
tightened  on  my  arm,  and  she  pressed  her  face  against 
my  cheek. 

"  Pity,  pity,  old  man !  "  she  cried.  "  If  he  must 
drink,  let  me  drink,  too.  I  am  his;  I  must  follow  him. 
Do  not  part  us !  " 

*'  There  is  some  trick  here,"  said  I.  "  Do  not  trust 
him,  dear  one.  How  comes  this  old  man  here,  when 
his  body  should  have  been  crumbling  in  the  dust  a 
hundred  years  ago?  " 

A  sneering  smile  curled  the  old  Doctor's  lip. 
"  Do  you  think,  fool,"  he  said,  "  that  I  would  admin- 
ister to  you  my  precious  elixir,  and  myself  die  in 
wretchedness,  when  eternal  life  is  within  my  grasp? 
No!  We  shall  go  forward,  you  and  I,  from  century 
to  century,  tasting  the  present,  waiting  in  restful 
slumber  for  the  future.  A  thousand  years  hence  shall 
see  us  waking  again  to  a  new  morning  of  existence." 

I  could  no  longer  think  clearly.  From  the  street 
came  the  sound  of  music,  the  laughter  of  the  girls, 
the  cries  of  the  flower-throwers,  but  now  mingled 
and  melting  into  a  confused  murmur  in  my  ears. 


THE    GREEN    FHIAL  269 

The  afternoon  sun  shone  warm  about  us,  but  my 
vision  was  no  longer  distinct.  In  a  frenzy  of  despair- 
ing rage  I  staggered  forward  toward  the  black  figure 
in  the  long  window. 

"  Wretch !  "  I  screamed.  "  Coward !  You  shall 
not  live  to  follow  me.  Say  your  last  prayer,  for  in 
another  instant  I  throw  your  accursed  body  over  this 
railing  to  be  crushed  on  the  stones  beneath  1 " 

But  my  knees  no  longer  held  me  steady.  I  tot- 
tered, and  put  out  my  hand  to  save  myself  from  fall- 
ing. My  palm  touched  something  small  and  hard 
that  rested  on  the  table,  and  I  gripped  it  tight.  It 
was  the  phial ! 

"  Rudini,"  I  ejaculated,  "  if  you  must  live,  at  least 
none  other  but  me  shall  fall  a  victim  to  your  wretched 
arts.  The  last  drop  of  your  elixir  shall  be  destroyed 
and  lost !  " 

I  summoned  all  my  strength,  raised  my  hand,  and, 
putting  all  that  was  left  of  consciousness  into  the  ef- 
fort, hurled  the  phial  straight  against  the  solid  wall 
of  the  hotel. 

Instantly  there  was  a  great  flash  of  light,  blinding 
me  as  though  all  the  atmosphere  had  burst  into  flame. 
And  with  the  roar  and  thunder  of  an  earthquake  the 
walls  broke  asunder,  the  solid  earth  gave  way  and 
opened,  and  I  felt  myself  falling,  falling,  in  darkness 
and  in  terror. 


270  THE   DAY    OF    PROSPERITY 

A  heavy  hand  was  laid  on  my  shoulder,  and  a  good- 
natured  voice  exclaimed : 

"  Well,  you've  had  a  nice  long  nap.  But  I'm  going 
to  close  up  now.     It  is  almost  four  o'clock." 

I  raised  my  head  and  stared  stupidly  at  the  speaker. 
Gradually  his  identity  dawned  upon  me.  It  was  Max, 
big,  white-aproned,  a  broad  grin  on  his  face.  Where 
was  I  ?  Before  me  stood  the  oaken  table,  and  upon  it 
lay  the  pile  of  books,  on  which  my  head  had  rested. 
At  my  side  the  dusty,  potted  firs  separated  me  by  a 
few  feet  from  Second  Avenue,  deserted  now  save  for 
an  infrequent  car  and  a  few  stray  travellers.  Within, 
the  cafe's  feeble  light  descended  on  bare  tables  and 
empty  chairs.     I  was  alone. 

"  How  long  have  I  been  here.  Max?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  sir.     Since  early  evening." 

"  Any  one  else  at  this  table?  " 

"  The  old  Doctor  sat  here  for  a  while,  but  he  left  as 
usual,  about  ten." 

"  Good-night." 

"  Good-night." 

With  difficulty  I  rose  to  my  feet.  The  present 
seemed  the  vision,  my  dream  the  reality.  Where  was 
the  splendid  city  I  had  left?  Where  those  friends 
whose  existence  seemed  so  absolute  a  fact?  Where 
the  woman  whose  warm  breath  I  still  felt  on  my 
cheek,  into  the  dark  depths  of  whose  eyes  I  gazed 
again,  whose  crimson  mouth  still  burned  its  indelible 
impress  on  my  lips?     Gone,  gone,  all  gone!     Would 


THE    GREEN    PUIAL  271 

that  Paul  Rudini's  phial  were  at  hand !     I  would  drain 
it  to  the  last  drop. 

Slowly,  painfully,  with  aching  head  and  unrespon- 
sive limbs,  I  gathered  up  my  books  and  tottered  to 
the  street. 

THE    END 


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